Amazon.com Book Description (ISBN 0393021238, Hardcover)

How did a small Southwest town transform itself into a hotbed of research science, advanced technology, and money? Tracking key figures in Santa Fe's emerging industries, Ed Regis explains how entrepreneurial scientists are using complexity theory and powerful, experimental computer programs to create practical—and profitable—applications. Their efforts to convert vast, diverse data, whether chemical or biological or computational, into useful information is leading to new drugs and medical therapies, ultimately revolutionizing our understanding of effective business strategies. With cutting-edge technology, companies are able to test chemicals, drugs, and interactions virtually before committing huge laboratory investments.

Profiling four firms at the forefront of this scientific and business revolution—including the BiosGroup, led by complexity theory pioneer Stuart Kauffman, and OpenEye Scientific Software, founded by Anthony Nicholls, the Steve Jobs of the Info Mesa—Regis offers behind-the-scenes experiences of the brilliant, often eccentric leaders in this heated competition for scientific innovation and commercial success.