Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Frontiers in Biomedical Polymers including Polymer Therapeutics: From Laboratory to Clinical Practice, held May 23-27, 1999, in Shiga, Japan. This book focuses on the progress and unique discoveries in the interdisciplinary scientific and technological area of biomedical application of polymers. The topics include polymeric materials for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications, as well as polymeric materials in therapeutics.

Polymeric materials are now playing an increasingly important role in pharmaceuticals, as well as in sensing devices, in situ prostheses and probes, and microparticle diagnostic agents. This new volume consists of twenty-two recent research-based reports on the developments in these areas of pharmaceutical and biomaterials technology. The reports were prepared by top scientists in the field and are based on current research conducted at leading laboratories in the U.S.A., Europe, and Asia. These 22 chapters report the latest information in the application of polymers to biological systems.

Hydrogels are networks of polymer chains which can produce a colloidal gel containing over 99 per cent water. The superabsorbency and permeability of naturally occurring and synthetic hydrogels give this class of materials an amazing array of uses. These uses range from wound dressings and skin grafts to oxygen-permeable contact lenses to biodegradable delivery systems for drugs or pesticides and scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Biomedical Applications of Hydrogels Handbook provides a comprehensive description of this diverse class of materials, covering both synthesis and properties and a broad range of research and commercial applications. The Handbook is divided into four sections: Stimuli-Sensitive Hydrogels, Hydrogels for Drug Delivery, Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering, and Hydrogels with Unique Properties.

Key Features:

• Provides comprehensive coverage of the basic science and applications of a diverse class of materials
• Includes both naturally occurring and synthetic hydrogels
• Edited and written by world leaders in the field.

Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Frontiers in Biomedical Polymers including Polymer Therapeutics: From Laboratory to Clinical Practice, held May 23-27, 1999, in Shiga, Japan. This book focuses on the progress and unique discoveries in the interdisciplinary scientific and technological area of biomedical application of polymers. The topics include polymeric materials for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications, as well as polymeric materials in therapeutics.

Hydrogels are networks of polymer chains which can produce a colloidal gel containing over 99 per cent water. The superabsorbency and permeability of naturally occurring and synthetic hydrogels give this class of materials an amazing array of uses. These uses range from wound dressings and skin grafts to oxygen-permeable contact lenses to biodegradable delivery systems for drugs or pesticides and scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Biomedical Applications of Hydrogels Handbook provides a comprehensive description of this diverse class of materials, covering both synthesis and properties and a broad range of research and commercial applications. The Handbook is divided into four sections: Stimuli-Sensitive Hydrogels, Hydrogels for Drug Delivery, Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering, and Hydrogels with Unique Properties. Key Features: Provides comprehensive coverage of the basic science and applications of a diverse class of materials Includes both naturally occurring and synthetic hydrogels Edited and written by world leaders in the field.