DNA delivery into cells is a rapidly developing area in gene therapy and biotechnology. Moreover, it is a powerful research tool to determine gene structure, regulation, and function.

Viral methods of DNA delivery are well-characterized and efficient, but little is known about the toxicity and immunogenecity of viral vectors. As a result, non-viral, transfection methods of DNA delivery are of increasing interest.

Synthetic DNA Delivery Systems is a comprehensive and current resource on DNA transfection. The use of histidine-rich peptides and polypeptides as DNA delivery systems and self-assembled delivery systems based on cationic lipids and polymers are discussed. Targeted delivery to organelles, tumor cells and dendritic cells comprise an important topic.

Synthetic materials are a tremendous potential resource for treating human disease. For the rational design of many of these biomaterials it is necessary to have an understanding of polymer chemistry and polymer physics. Equally important to those two fields is a quantitative understanding of the principles that govern rates of drug transport, reaction, and disappearance in physiological and pathological situations. This book is a synthesis of these principles, providing a working foundation for those in the field of drug delivery. It covers advanced drug delivery and contemporary biomaterials.

Tissue engineering is a new field of biomedical engineering, in which synthetic materials are used together with biological components such as tissue fragments, cells, proteins to encourage tissue regeneration, regrowth, and repair. This book introduces the principles of tissue engineering in a unique way that is ideally suited for the modern engineering student. A review of developmental biology is presented early in the book, since biological development is the fundamental process of most relevance for tissue engineering. The study of development provides a pathway to basic bioengineering units on cell adhesion, migration, assembly, and transport, which are integrated in the final sections of the book into tissue engineering processes (such as cell delivery, growth factor administration, and polymeric scaffold materials).

The second edition of this popular introductory undergraduate textbook uses examples, applications, and profiles of biomedical engineers to show students the relevance of the theory and how it can be used to solve real problems in human medicine. The essential molecular biology, cellular biology, and human physiology background is included for students to understand the context in which biomedical engineers work. Updates throughout highlight important advances made over recent years, including iPS cells, microRNA, nanomedicine, imaging technology, biosensors, and drug delivery systems, giving students a modern description of the various subfields of biomedical engineering. Over two hundred quantitative and qualitative exercises, many new to this edition, help consolidate learning, whilst a solutions manual, password-protected for instructors, is available online. Finally, students can enjoy an expanded set of leader profiles in biomedical engineering within the book, showcasing the broad range of career paths open to students who make biomedical engineering their calling.