There has been recent emergence of some of the most exciting avenues for innovation in clinical medicine, with materials as their core - sustained drug delivery systems, gene therapy, regenerative therapies, and technologies for imaging and tumor targeting. Nanotechnology promises to take materials innovation to yet another level, through ground-up design of probes and systems that precisely deliver information to cells and tissues on demand. Combined with microfabrication technologies, these breakthroughs have the potential to revolutionize the detection and treatment of diseases and rectification of damaged tissue. Examples include lab-on-a-chip, pharmacy-on-a-chip and synthetic liver substitutes. This book features a cross-section of topics at the multifaceted intersection of materials science and medicine. Topics include: materials in regenerative medicine; macromolecular drug/lipid interaction; (nano)materials in drug delivery; hydrogels and material-tissue interactions; and synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials for biomedical applications.

The field of polymer research is progressing rapidly from passive materials providing a certain set of properties to active polymers, which provide, receive and respond to signals from their environment. This includes interactions with molecules, biological systems and physical stimuli. Research in active polymers has been driven by an increasing demand for intelligent materials, especially in biomedical and aerospace applications. Progress in synthesis, analytics and molecular modeling enable scientists to develop active polymer systems in a knowledge-based approach. Biological systems might serve as blueprints for biomimetic and bionic solutions, leading to innovative materials concepts. Emerging active polymers respond to a range of stimuli, from changes in pH and temperature, to light and magnetic fields. Remote and on-demand control is also envisioned. Contributors discuss shape-memory polymers; shape-changing polymers; responsive hydrogels; stimuli-sensitive systems; intelligent polymers in biological systems; polymer-based actuators, sensors, and switches; active surfaces; and biomedical applications of active materials, especially for tissue regeneration and controlled drug release.

There has been recent emergence of some of the most exciting avenues for innovation in clinical medicine, with materials as their core - sustained drug delivery systems, gene therapy, regenerative therapies, and technologies for imaging and tumor targeting. Nanotechnology promises to take materials innovation to yet another level, through ground-up design of probes and systems that precisely deliver information to cells and tissues on demand. Combined with microfabrication technologies, these breakthroughs have the potential to revolutionize the detection and treatment of diseases and rectification of damaged tissue. Examples include lab-on-a-chip, pharmacy-on-a-chip and synthetic liver substitutes. This book features a cross-section of topics at the multifaceted intersection of materials science and medicine. Topics include: materials in regenerative medicine; macromolecular drug/lipid interaction; (nano)materials in drug delivery; hydrogels and material-tissue interactions; and synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials for biomedical applications.