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Elsevier

Books in Pharmaceutical biotechnology

This portfolio explores biologics, biosimilars, and bioprocessing technologies. Supporting biotechnologists, researchers, and clinicians, it highlights advances in recombinant DNA, monoclonal antibodies, and cell therapy that drive innovation in personalized medicine and vaccine development.

  • Snake Venom and Human Health

    Translating Nature’s Toxins into Therapeutics
    • 1st Edition
    • Subir Chandra Dasgupta + 2 more
    • English
    Snake Venom and Human Health: Translating Nature’s Toxins into Therapeutics offers a detailed exploration of the burgeoning field of venom-derived therapeutics. As biomedical research continues to uncover potential applications of snake venom, this book serves as an essential resource that bridges fundamental science and clinical application and examines how these potent biological substances are being transformed into innovative treatments for a wide array of health conditions, including cancer, infectious and parasitic diseases, cardiovascular issues, neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases. Starting with an overview of venom classification and structural insights, the book is organized into detailed chapters that cover the biochemical basis of snake venom, its therapeutic applications, and the emerging technologies supporting its development. Subsequent chapters explore specific medical applications—from anticancer and antimicrobial therapies to treatments for cardiovascular, neurological, dermatological, and metabolic disorders. It goes on to explore innovative topics as well as the regulatory and sustainability issues and ongoing challenges—such as safety concerns, ethical considerations, and scalability that surrounding venom research.Enriched by contributions from international experts in the field, Snake Venom and Human Health aims to provide researchers, clinicians, and industry professionals a thorough understanding of both the scientific foundations and the translational aspects of venom-based therapeutics.

  • Nonthermal Extraction Technologies of Polysaccharides

    Principles, Techniques, Characterization, and Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • Seyed Mohammad Taghi Gharibzahedi
    • English
    Nonthermal Extraction Technologies of Polysaccharides: Principles, Techniques, Characterization, and Applications explores cutting-edge nonthermal extraction technologies, including ultrasound, microwave, high-pressure, pulsed electric field, enzymatic extraction methods, and cold plasma technology and their effects on polysaccharide biofunctionalities, such as antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and potential applications. With an examination of the therapeutic benefits associated with these compounds, including anti-cancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity properties, this book aspires to highlight advanced techniques to significantly enhance polysaccharide yield, bioactivity, and purity when compared to traditional approaches.The initial chapters introduce the fundamental structures, sources, and importance of polysaccharides, thus setting the stage for a deeper understanding of their functionality and chemical characterization. By offering both theoretical frameworks and practical guidance, this book equips professionals with the knowledge required to effectively incorporate polysaccharides into health-promoting products for advancing research and applications in the evolving landscape of functional foods and biomedical innovation.

  • Cell Free Synthesis of Biologics

    A Comprehensive Guide
    • 1st Edition
    • Sarfaraz Niazi
    • English
    Cell Free Synthesis of Biologics: A Comprehensive Guide addresses the need for efficient production methods in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. As the demand for biologics continues to rise, traditional cell-based production systems often fall short due to high costs and complexity. This book offers a detailed exploration of cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS), providing researchers and professionals with the latest methodologies, best practices, and troubleshooting strategies necessary for successful implementation. The content is structured into comprehensive chapters that cover the historical development, technical foundations, optimization strategies, advanced technologies, and the regulatory landscape surrounding CFPS.Each section is designed to guide users through the complexities of establishing and scaling up cell-free systems, ensuring a clear understanding of the processes involved and the potential applications in therapeutic development, diagnostics, and industrial biotechnology. This book provides pharmaceutical scientists and pharma manufacturing professionals with practical insights and innovative strategies to enhance efficiency and reduce costs in biopharmaceutical production.

  • Antibiotic Resistance and Nanotherapy

    • 1st Edition
    • Awanish Kumar + 1 more
    • English
    Antibiotic Resistance and Nanotherapy is a comprehensive guide that explores an interdisciplinary approach to address the pressing issue of antibiotic resistance and explores the possibility of nanotherapy as a cutting-edge strategy to treat illnesses that are resistant to antibiotics, employing nanoparticles to target and kill bacteria selectively without damaging healthy cells. It details the underlying mechanisms of drug resistance in intracellular and extracellular pathogens and explores the latest advancements in nanotechnology, including the development of innovative nanomaterials and delivery systems that can be utilized to combat antibiotic-resistant infections. This book also discusses the ethical and practical challenges associated with implementing nanotherapy for bacterial resistance. Featuring contributions from experts in the field, this book is an essential resource for researchers, medical professionals, and policymakers seeking to understand and tackle the immediate threat posed by antibiotic resistance.

  • Navigating Endophytic Research for Next-Generation Therapeutics

    • 1st Edition
    • Vagish Dwibedi + 3 more
    • English
    Navigating Endophytic Research for Next-Generation Therapeutics explores the evolving field of endophytic fungal research and applications in combating diseases, addressing environmental challenges, and in shaping the future of therapeutics. The book starts off with a discussion on the biodiversity and biogeography of endophytic fungal communities and describes the bioprospecting of endophytes for drug discovery. In addition, it covers the therapeutic application of endophytic fungi to treat and manage specific diseases and investigates the innovative use of technologies such as genome editing, genetic engineering for enhanced bioactivity, multi-omics-based exploration, and the use of big data and machine learning in endophytic drug discovery.Featuring contributions from experts across fields like mycology, pharmacology, biotechnology, and environment science, this comprehensive, practical, and insightful resource guides those engaged in endophytic fungal research and its transformative potential in next-generation therapeutics.

  • Nonclinical Development of Biologics, Vaccines and Specialty Biologics

    • 2nd Edition
    • Lisa M. Plitnick + 1 more
    • English
    Nonclinical Development of Biologics, Vaccines and Specialty Biologics, Second Edition, is a complete reference devoted to the nonclinical safety assessment of novel biopharmaceuticals, vaccines, cell and gene therapies, and oncology therapeutics. Updated and revised, the new edition compares and contrasts these types of biologics with one another and with small molecule drugs, while incorporating the most current and essential international regulatory guidelines. This book discusses the different types of biologics, as well as early characterization strategies, principles of study design, nonclinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, nonclinical assays, and regulatory guidelines. A coedited book with chapters authored by leading experts in the field, this comprehensive reference provides critical insights to all researchers involved in early through late-stage biologics.

  • Design and Applications of Microneedles in Drug Delivery and Therapeutics

    • 1st Edition
    • Prashant Kesharwani
    • English
    Design and Applications of Microneedles in Drug Delivery and Therapeutics details the design, characterization, and applications of this novel drug delivery system. Microneedles offer several advantages over traditional oral and parenteral approaches due to their ability to be fabricated and altered in shape, size and material type, and their convenience to be matched to specific treatment needs. This book covers the materials selection, design and fabrication approaches, and clinical translation of microneedles for a range of therapeutic applications, including cancer therapy, gene and vaccine delivery, wound healing, and more.This book is a forward-thinking resource for those working in the development of materials and devices for novel drug delivery.

  • Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies: From Lot Release to Stability Testing

    • 1st Edition
    • Harleen Kaur
    • English
    Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies: From Lot Release to Stability Testing is a highly topical resource on a subject of interest for scientists and researchers working on monoclonal antibodies' characterization, release testing, stability testing and similarity assessments of monoclonal antibodies in the biopharmaceutical industry. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are large, extremely complex and dynamic biomolecules, so it can be challenging to develop well-characterized therapeutic antibodies that meet regulatory expectations that are also in-line with commercialized standards for different drug markets.Lot release testing and understanding the stability of the mAb over a period of time, and in different environmental conditions, is an indispensable aspect of mAb physicochemical characterization. This book covers the process, including extensive analysis that starts with quantifying the purity attribute to glycan profiling and identifying the mAb primary structure. The book has a primary purpose of focusing on both Lot release testing and stability testing of monoclonal antibodies (subjects not covered in any great detail in other books).

  • Surfactants in Biopharmaceutical Development

    • 1st Edition
    • Atanas V. Koulov + 1 more
    • English
    Surfactants in Biopharmaceutical Development addresses the progress, challenges, and opportunities in surfactant research in the context of the development of biologic therapeutics. It has been widely recognized that surfactants provide protection to therapeutic proteins against interfacial stresses, which is the reason that nearly all therapeutic proteins in development and on the market today contain surfactants. Despite the fact that the very mechanism of protein stabilization by surfactants has not been completely understood, surfactants are universally regarded as critical functional excipients for biopharmaceuticals by the industry and by regulators.This book provides a broad range of important surfactant-related topics as they relate directly to biopharmaceutical development. The initial chapters of the book address fundamental topics, like synthesis of surfactants, mechanisms of protein stabilization by surfactants, as well as practical considerations for the use of surfactants in biomanufacturing. Later chapters provide overview of the state-of-the-art analytical technology and methods for quantification and characterization of surfactants, as well as a deep-dive in one of the hottest topics in biopharmaceutical development today – surfactant degradation and its impact to drug product quality and stability. The book concludes with forward-looking chapters on control strategies with a special focus on current regulatory aspects of paramount importance for biopharmaceutical companies and regulators.

  • Inorganic Nanosystems

    Theranostic Nanosystems, Volume 2
    • 1st Edition
    • Md Saquib Hasnain + 2 more
    • English
    Inorganic Nanosystems: Theranostic Nanosystems, Volume Two examines the applications of nanotherapeutic systems and nanodiagnostics in relation to polymeric nanosystems. In the last decade, numerous biopolymers have been utilized to prepare polymeric nanosystems for therapeutic applications. These biopolymers include polylactic acid, polylactide-co-glyco... polycaprolactone, acrylic polymers, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, alginates, chitosan, gellan gum, gelatin, albumin, chontroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid, guar gum, gum Arabic, gum tragacanth, xanthan gum, and starches. Besides these biopolymers, grafted polymers are also being used as advanced polymeric materials to prepare many theranostic nanocarriers and nanoformulations. This book explores the array of polymeric nanosystems to understand therapeutic potentials. It will be useful to pharmaceutical scientists, including industrial pharmacists and analytical scientists, health care professionals, and regulatory scientists actively involved in the pharmaceutical product and process development of tailor-made polysaccharides in drug delivery applications.

  • Smart Polymeric Nano-Constructs in Drug Delivery

    Concept, Design and Therapeutic Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • Suresh P Vyas + 2 more
    • English
    Smart Polymeric Nano-Constructs in Drug Delivery: Concept, Design and Therapeutic Applications provides a thorough discussion of the most state of the art material and polymer exploitations for the delivery of bioactive(s) as well as their current and clinical status. The book enables researchers to prepare a variety of smart drug delivery systems to investigate their properties as well as to discover their uses and applications. The novelty of this approach addresses an existing need of exhaustively understanding the potential of the materials including polymeric drug delivery systems that are smartly designed to deliver bioactive(s) into the body at targeted sites without showing side effects. The book is helpful for those in the health sector, specifically those developing nanomedicine using smart material-based nano-delivery systems. Polymers have unique co-operative properties that are not found with low-molecular-weight compounds along with their appealing physical and chemical properties, constituting the root of their success in drug delivery. Smart Polymeric Nano-Constructs in Drug Delivery: Concept, Design and Therapeutic Applications discusses smart and stimuli responsive polymers applicable in drug delivery, followed detailed information about various concepts and designing of polymeric novel drug delivery systems for treatment of various type of diseases, also discussing patents related to the field. The book helps readers to design and develop novel drug delivery systems based on smart materials for the effective delivery of bioactive that take advantage of recent advances in smart polymer-based strategies. It is useful to those in pharmaceutical sciences and related fields in developing new drug delivery systems.

  • Pharmacokinetics and Toxicokinetic Considerations - Vol II

    • 1st Edition
    • Rakesh K. Tekade
    • English
    Pharmacokinetics and Toxicokinetic Considerations explains the central principles, cutting-edge methodologies, and incipient thought processes applied to toxicology research. As part of the Advances in Pharmaceutical Product Development and Research series, the book provides expert literature on dose, dosage regimen and dose adjustment, medication errors, and approaches for its prevention, the concept of pharmacotherapy, and managed care in clinical interventions. It expounds on strategies to revamp the pharmacokinetics of the drug and the factors affecting the stability of drugs and their metabolites in biological matrices. Finally, the book offers focused elaborations on various bioanalytical methods for bioavailability and bioequivalence assessment and integrates the wide-ranging principles and concepts shared by toxicokinetics and pharmacodynamics as mutual crosstalk rather than isolated observations. It will be helpful to researchers and advanced students working in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, biotechnology, food, and related industries including toxicologists, pharmacists, and pharmacologists.

  • Targeted Cancer Imaging

    Design and Synthesis of Nanoplatforms based on Tumor Biology
    • 1st Edition
    • Mehdi Azizi + 3 more
    • English
    Targeted Cancer Imaging: Design and Synthesis of Nanoplatforms based on Tumour Biology reviews and categorizes imaging and targeting approaches according to cancer type, highlighting new and safe approaches that involve membrane-coated nanoparticles, tumor cell-derived extracellular vesicles, circulating tumor cells, cell-free DNAs, and cancer stem cells, all with the goal of pointing the way to developing precise targeting and multifunctional nanotechnology-based imaging probes in the future. This book is highly multidisciplinary, bridging the knowledge gap between tumor biology, nanotechnology, and diagnostic imaging, and thus making it suitable for researchers ranging from oncology to bioengineering. Although considerable efforts have been conducted to diagnose, improve and treat cancer in the past few decades, existing therapeutic options are insufficient, as mortality and morbidity rates remain high. One of the best hopes for substantial improvement lies in early detection. Recent advances in nanotechnology are expected to increase our current understanding of tumor biology, allowing nanomaterials to be used for targeting and imaging both in vitro and in vivo experimental models.

  • Engineering Technologies and Clinical Translation

    Volume 3 of Delivery Strategies and Engineering Technologies in Cancer Immunotherapy
    • 1st Edition
    • Mansoor M. Amiji + 1 more
    • English
    Engineering Technologies and Clinical Translation: Volume 3: Delivery Strategies and Engineering Technologies in Cancer Immunotherapy examines the challenges of delivering immuno-oncology therapies, focusing specifically on the development of solutions for drug delivery and its clinical outcomes. Immuno-oncology (IO) is a growing field of medicine at the interface of immunology and cancer biology leading to development of novel therapeutic approaches, such as chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) and immune checkpoint blockade antibodies, that are clinically approved approaches for cancer therapy. Although currently approved IO approaches have shown tremendous promise for select types of cancers, broad application of IO strategies could even further improve the clinical success, especially for diseases such as pancreatic cancer, brain tumors where the success of IO so far has been limited. This volume of Delivery Strategies and Engineering Technologies in Cancer Immunotherapy　discus... biomaterial, microfluidic, and biodegradable devices, engineered microbes, personalized medicine, clinical approval process, and many other IO technologies. Engineering Technologies and Clinical Translation: Volume 3: Delivery Strategies and Engineering Technologies in Cancer Immunotherapy creates a comprehensive treaty that engages the scientific and medical community who are involved in the challenges of immunology, cancer biology, and therapeutics with possible solutions from the nanotechnology and drug delivery side.

  • Advanced Drug Delivery Systems in the Management of Cancer

    • 1st Edition
    • Kamal Dua + 5 more
    • English
    Advanced Drug Delivery Systems in the Management of Cancer discusses recent developments in nanomedicine and nano-based drug delivery systems used in the treatment of cancers affecting the blood, lungs, brain, and kidneys. The research presented in this book includes international collaborations in the area of novel drug delivery for the treatment of cancer. Cancer therapy remains one of the greatest challenges in modern medicine, as successful treatment requires the elimination of malignant cells that are closely related to normal cells within the body. Advanced drug delivery systems are carriers for a wide range of pharmacotherapies used in many applications, including cancer treatment. The use of such carrier systems in cancer treatment is growing rapidly as they help overcome the limitations associated with conventional drug delivery systems. Some of the conventional limitations that these advanced drug delivery systems help overcome include nonspecific targeting, systemic toxicity, poor oral bioavailability, reduced efficacy, and low therapeutic index. This book begins with a brief introduction to cancer biology. This is followed by an overview of the current landscape in pharmacotherapy for the cancer management. The need for advanced drug delivery systems in oncology and cancer treatment is established, and the systems that can be used for several specific cancers are discussed. Several chapters of the book are devoted to discussing the latest technologies and advances in nanotechnology. These include practical solutions on how to design a more effective nanocarrier for the drugs used in cancer therapeutics. Each chapter is written with the goal of informing readers about the latest advancements in drug delivery system technologies while reinforcing understanding through various detailed tables, figures, and illustrations. Advanced Drug Delivery Systems in the Management of Cancer is a valuable resource for anyone working in the fields of cancer biology and drug delivery, whether in academia, research, or industry. The book will be especially useful for researchers in drug formulation and drug delivery as well as for biological and translational researchers working in the field of cancer.

  • Advances and Challenges in Pharmaceutical Technology

    Materials, Process Development and Drug Delivery Strategies
    • 1st Edition
    • Amit Kumar Nayak + 4 more
    • English
    Advances and Challenges in Pharmaceutical Technology: Materials, Process Development and Drug Delivery Strategies examines recent advancements in pharmaceutical technology. The book discusses common formulation strategies, including the use of tools for statistical formulation optimization, Quality by design (QbD), process analytical technology, and the uses of various pharmaceutical biomaterials, including natural polymers, synthetic polymers, modified natural polymers, bioceramics, and other bioinorganics. In addition, the book covers rapid advancements in the field by providing a thorough understanding of pharmaceutical processes, formulation developments, explorations, and exploitation of various pharmaceutical biomaterials to formulate pharmaceutical dosage forms.

  • Remington

    The Science and Practice of Pharmacy
    • 23rd Edition
    • Adeboye Adejare
    • English
    The PCP's Bicentennial Edition Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, Twenty Third Edition, offers a trusted, completely updated source of information for education, training, and development of pharmacists. Published for the first time with Elsevier, this edition includes coverage of biologics and biosimilars as uses of those therapeutics have increased substantially since the previous edition. Also discussed are formulations, drug delivery (including prodrugs, salts, polymorphism. With clear, detailed color illustrations, fundamental information on a range of pharmaceutical science areas, and information on new developments in industry, pharmaceutical industry scientists, especially those involved in drug discovery and development will find this edition of Remington an essential reference. Intellectual property professionals will also find this reference helpful to cite in patents and resulting litigations. Additional graduate and postgraduate students in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences will refer to this book in courses dealing with medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutics.

  • Nanotechnology-Based Targeted Drug Delivery Systems for Lung Cancer

    • 1st Edition
    • Prashant Kesharwani
    • English
    Nanotechnology-based Targeted Drug Delivery Systems for Lung Cancer is an indispensable resource that will help pharmaceutical scientists and clinical researchers design and develop novel drug delivery systems and devices for the treatment of lung cancer. As recent breakthroughs in nanomedicine are now making it possible to deliver drugs, genes and therapeutic agents to localized areas of disease to maximize clinical benefit, while also limiting unwanted side effects, this book explores promising approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer using cutting-edge nanomedical technologies. Topics discussed include polymeric nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, dendrimers, micelles and nanoemulsions.

  • Pharmaceutical Medicine and Translational Clinical Research

    • 1st Edition
    • Divya Vohora + 1 more
    • English
    Pharmaceutical Medicine and Translational Clinical Research covers clinical testing of medicines and the translation of pharmaceutical drug research into new medicines, also focusing on the need to understand the safety profile of medicine and the benefit-risk balance. Pharmacoeconomics and the social impact of healthcare on patients and public health are also featured. It is written in a clear and straightforward manner to enable rapid review and assimilation of complex information and contains reader-friendly features.As a greater understanding of these aspects is critical for students in the areas of pharmaceutical medicine, clinical research, pharmacology and pharmacy, as well as professionals working in the pharmaceutical industry, this book is an ideal resource.

  • An Introduction to Ethical, Safety and Intellectual Property Rights Issues in Biotechnology

    • 1st Edition
    • Padma Nambisan
    • English
    An Introduction to Ethical, Safety and Intellectual Property Rights Issues in Biotechnology provides a comprehensive look at the biggest technologies that have revolutionized biology since the early 20th century, also discussing their impact on society. The book focuses on issues related to bioethics, biosafety and intellectual property rights, and is written in an easy-to-understand manner for graduate students and early career researchers interested in the opportunities and challenges associated with advances in biotechnology. Important topics covered include the Human Genome Project, human cloning, rDNA technology, the 3Rs and animal welfare, bioterrorism, human rights and genetic discrimination, good laboratory practices, good manufacturing practices, the protection of biological material and much more. Full of relevant case studies, practical examples, weblinks and resources for further reading, this book offers an essential and holistic look at the ways in which biotechnology has affected our global society.

  • The Funding of Biopharmaceutical Research and Development

    • 1st Edition
    • David R Williams
    • English
    The funding of biopharmaceutical research and development provides a comprehensive critical review of the funding of research and development (R&D) in the human biopharmaceutical market sector. It addresses both private and public funding sources available in the US and internationally. The biopharmaceutical market is among the most research-intensive market sectors globally. Clinical researchers face a multitude of public and private funding options with respect to bringing their idea or innovation to market. These funding options are continually changing and complex, and are expected to decrease in the near future. A lack of understanding of the scale, scope, and inner workings of the funding aspects of R&D can, at times, act as a barrier for all involved, and can slow down or even eliminate the R&D process. The book lessens these barriers by describing the theoretical underpinnings, present practice, and trends in R&D funding in this market sector, both in the US and internationally. This includes a review and discussion of public-private partnership activity and their inner-workings, noting the complementary relationship between public and private funding. The book also contains an overview of the inner-workings of strategic alliance activity, including the advantages and disadvantages for each party. It goes on to provide an outline of venture capital activity, detailing the methods by which venture capital firms raise capital and are organized, a description of the venture capital-entrepreneur arrangement, and the effects of this arrangement. The book also presents an overview of the IPO process and the various fates of firms going public.

  • Nonclinical Development of Novel Biologics, Biosimilars, Vaccines and Specialty Biologics

    • 1st Edition
    • Lisa M. Plitnick + 1 more
    • English
    Nonclinical Development of Novel Biologics, Biosimilars, Vaccines and Specialty Biologics is a complete reference devoted to the nonclinical safety assessment of novel biopharmaceuticals, biosimilars, vaccines, cell and gene therapies and blood products. This book compares and contrasts these types of biologics with one another and with small molecule drugs, while incorporating the most current and essential international regulatory documents. Each section discusses a different type of biologic, as well as early characterization strategies, principles of study design, preclinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and preclinical assays. An edited book that is authored by leading experts in the field, this comprehensive reference provides critical insights to all researchers involved in early through late stage biologics.

  • Actinomycetes in Biotechnology

    • 1st Edition
    • Bozzano G Luisa
    • English
    The actinomycetes are a group of bacteria well known as producers of antibiotics. With the advent of molecular biology they have become important to biotechnologists in the search for new antibiotics, vitamins, enzyme inhibitors, etc. They also play an important role in the biodegradation of wastes, and their wide (natural) distribution in soil, composts, water and elsewhere in the environment makes them important to the agricultural and waste industries. This research book presents a broad view of the current interest in actinomycetes, ranging from isolation/screening of actinomycetes, discovery of new antibiotics, a substantial contribution on genetic manipulation to actinomycetes in agriculture, forestry, and the threat of actinomycetes as pollutants in the environment.The chapters, which have been written by experts, are intended to provide a balanced view of the opportunities and problems in an expanding field of interest.

  • Natural-Based Polymers for Biomedical Applications

    • 1st Edition
    • Rui L. Reis + 5 more
    • English
    Polymers from natural sources are particularly useful as biomaterials and in regenerative medicine, given their similarity to the extracellular matrix and other polymers in the human body. This important book reviews the wealth of research on both tried and promising new natural-based biomedical polymers, together with their applications as implantable biomaterials, controlled-release carriers or scaffolds for tissue engineering.The first part of the book reviews the sources, processing and properties of natural-based polymers for biomedical applications. Part two describes how the surfaces of polymer-based biomaterials can be modified to improve their functionality. The third part of the book discusses the use of natural-based polymers for biodegradable scaffolds and hydrogels in tissue engineering. Building on this foundation, Part four looks at the particular use of natural-gelling polymers for encapsulation, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The penultimate group of chapters reviews the use of natural-based polymers as delivery systems for drugs, hormones, enzymes and growth factors. The final part of the book summarises research on the key issue of biocompatibility.Nat... polymers for biomedical applications is a standard reference for biomedical engineers, those studying and researching in this important area, and the medical community.