The studies on Biohydrogels have had a rapid, exponential evolution in the last decades. This book is the result of an International conference gathering the most recent results in this field.

This book discusses recent advances in hydrogels, including their generation and applications and presents a compendium of fundamental concepts. It highlights the most important hydrogel materials, including physical hydrogels, chemical hydrogels, and nanohydrogels and explores the development of hydrogel-based novel materials that respond to external stimuli, such as temperature, pressure, pH, light, biochemicals or magnetism, which represent a new class of intelligent materials. With their multiple cooperative functions, hydrogel-based materials exhibit different potential applications ranging from biomedical engineering to water purification systems. This book covers key topics including superabsorbent polymer hydrogel; intelligent hydrogels for drug delivery; hydrogels from catechol-conjugated materials; nanomaterials loaded hydrogel; electrospinning of hydrogels; biopolymers-based hydrogels; injectable hydrogels; interpenetrating-polymer-network hydrogels: radiation- and sonochemical synthesis of micro/nano/macroscopic hydrogels; DNA-based hydrogels; and multifunctional applications of hydrogels. It will prove a valuable resource for researchers working in industry and academia alike.

Hydrogels, as three-dimensional polymer networks, are able to retain a large amount of water in their swollen state. The biomedical application of hydrogels was initially hampered by the toxicity of cross-linking agents and the limitations of hydrogel formation under physiological conditions. However, emerging knowledge in polymer chemistry and an increased understanding of biological processes have resulted in the design of versatile materials and minimally invasive therapies.The novel but challenging properties of hydrogels are attracting the attention of researchers in the biological, medical, and pharmaceutical fields. In the last few years, new methods have been developed for the preparation of hydrophilic polymers and hydrogels, which may be used in future biomedical and drug delivery applications. Such efforts include the synthesis of self-organized nanostructures based on triblock copolymers with applications in controlled drug delivery. These hydrogels could be used as carriers for drug delivery when combined with the techniques of drug imprinting and subsequent release. Engineered protein hydrogels have many potential advantages. They are excellent biomaterials and biodegradables. Furthermore, they could encapsulate drugs and be used in injectable forms to replace surgery, to repair damaged cartilage, in regenerative medicine, or in tissue engineering. Also, they have potential applications in gene therapy, although this field is relatively new.

With the advancement in medicinal chemistry and material science, several highly specific, biocompatible and non-toxic therapeutic agents have been discovered and successfully applied for various clinical applications. Many of the conventional constraints of clinical therapies have been replaced and overcome by the multifaceted applications of material science and nanotechnology. Recently, material science-based therapeutic agents are the major global pharmaceutical market and are believed to mount exponentially shortly. Among the various therapeutic agents, hydrogels are one of the most widely applied materials used in the treatment of various diseases, and one of the most diverse materials that are used for multipurpose applications. Hydrogels were the first biomaterials used for Human being. Hydrogels are polymeric linkages, water-insoluble, however, sometimes established as a colloidal gel in water. Hydrogels are the superabsorbent materials because it can absorb more than 90% water, and hence regarded as natural living tissue. Mechanically strong hydrogels were synthesized by the advent of new synthetic strategies. Owing to the swollen properties, three-dimensional polymer network, and strong mechanical characteristics, these are widely used in catalysis, adsorption, drug delivery systems for proteins, contact lenses, wound dressings, wound healing, bone regeneration, tissue engineering, baby diapers, food rheology, and many others. Due to their diverse applications, hydrogels are considered one of the smartest materials in pharmaceutics, and are eco-friendly materials, cheap, and have good recyclability. They are used as therapeutic agents in different health sectors. As they are very sensitive to target, therefore it is considered favorite and preferred choice in biomedical sectors. Patients are psychologically scared of surgeries regarding huge expenses and failure. So researchers are working on hydrogels as alternative surgical replacement. In most cases, they have successfully achieved research on hydrogels in bones and tissues repairment. It might be hope of life for serious patients in future. The domain of this work will cover state of the art potentials and applications in various technological areas.

Hydrogels are crosslinked, macromolecular polymeric materials arranged in a three-dimensional network, which can absorb and retain large amounts of water. Hydrogels are commonly used in clinical practice and experimental medicine for a wide range of applications, including drug delivery, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, diagnostics, cellular immobilization, separation of biomolecules or cells, and barrier materials to regulate biological adhesions. This book elucidates the underlying concepts and emerging applications of hydrogels and will provide key case studies and critical analysis of the existing research.

Hydrogels Based on Natural Polymers presents the latest research on natural polymer-based hydrogels, covering fundamentals, preparation methods, synthetic pathways, advanced properties, major application areas, and novel characterization techniques. The advantages and disadvantages of each natural polymer-based hydrogel are also discussed, enabling preparation tactics for specific properties and applications. Sections cover fundamentals, development, characteristics, structures and properties. Additional chapters cover presentation methods and properties based on natural polymers, including physical and chemical properties, stimuli-responsive properties, self-healing properties, and biological properties. The final section presents major applications areas, including the biomedical field, agriculture, water treatments, and the food industry. This is a highly valuable resource for academic researchers, scientists and advanced students working with hydrogels and natural polymers, as well as across the fields of polymer science, polymer chemistry, plastics engineering, biopolymers and biomaterials. The detailed information will also be of great interest to scientists and R&D professionals, product designers, technicians and engineers across industries. Provides systematic coverage of all aspects of hydrogels based on natural polymers, including fundamentals, preparation methods, properties and characterization Offers a balanced assessment of the specific properties and possibilities offered by different natural polymer-based hydrogels, drawing on innovative research Examines cutting-edge applications across biomedicine, agriculture, water treatments, and the food industry

This book provides an overview of hydrogels and nanogels, including their manufacturing techniques, physicochemical and mechanical properties, and applications in medicine, as well as bioengineering strategies and their impacts on the functions of carrier systems. It explores the fundamentals of the synthesis, synthetic chemistry, and development of hydrogels and nanogels. It discusses the fabrication of stimuli-responsive hydrogels and nanogels and biomaterial requirements, as well as reviews the various classifications of hydrogels and nanogels and their self-assembly and gelation mechanisms. The book also highlights the mechanisms of drug encapsulation and release from hydrogels and nanogels and their biocompatibility with physiological membranes. Furthermore, it provides information on how to modify or engineer the surface of biomimetic systems for targeting purposes and the materials to be used to realize this objective. The book discusses factors to consider for the clinical translation of hydrogels and nanogels. Finally, it discusses the biomedical applications of hydrogels and nanogels, including in drug delivery, wound healing, and neurological and ophthalmic diseases.

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue " Hydrogels in Tissue Engineering" that was published in Gels

Hydrogels represent one of the cornerstones in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, due to their biocompatibility and physiologically relevant properties. These inherent characteristics mean that they can be widely exploited as bioinks in 3D bioprinting for tissue engineering applications as well as injectable gels for cell therapy and drug delivery purposes. The research in these fields is booming and this book provides the reader with a terrific introduction to the burgeoning field of injectable hydrogel design, bioprinting and tissue engineering. Edited by three leaders in the field, users of this book will learn about different classes of hydrogels, properties and synthesis strategies to produce bioinks. A section devoted to the key processing and design challenges at the hydrogel/3D bioprinting/tissue interface is also covered. The final section of the book closes with pertinent clinical applications. Tightly edited, the reader will find this book to be a coherent resource to learn from. It will appeal to those working across biomaterials science, chemical and biomedical engineering, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Multifunctional Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications Comprehensive resource presenting a thorough overview of the biomedical applications of hydrogels This book provides an overview of the development and applications of the clinically relevant hydrogels that are used particularly in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, it goes through the material from chemistry, materials science, biology, medicine, nanotechnology, and bioengineering points of view. Sample topics covered by the three well-qualified editors include: The design, functions, and developments of hydrogels Proteins and polysaccharides that mimic extracellular matrix Generation and applications of supramolecular hydrogels Design and functions of cell encapsulation systems Multifunctional Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications is a useful all-in-one reference work for materials scientists, polymer chemists, and bioengineers which provides a comprehensive, contemporary understanding of hydrogels and their applications targeting a wide variety of pathologies.