Develop natural solutions to biomedical problems with this introduction A natural polymer is one that forms from biosynthetic or biochemical processes typically found in nature, with corresponding advantages in biocompatibility and biodegradability. These advantages give natural polymers a range of applications, from the use of polysaccharides as structural components to the use of polyphenols as antioxidant active ingredients. In biomedical engineering they are clearly preferable to synthetic polymers in numerous cases, and their applications are more numerous every day. Natural Polymers for Biomedical Applications offers a comprehensive summary of these polymers and their biomedical applications. It covers the sources, structures, and properties of polysaccharides, polyphenols, and polypeptides, as well as analyzing the latest advances in polymer-based biomedical technologies. The result has ramifications in a vast range of industries and research areas. In Natural Polymers for Biomedical Applications readers will also find: Applications including drug and cell delivery, cell and organoid cultures, tissue regeneration, and more Detailed analysis of alginate, cellulose, quercetin, silk fibroin, and many others A logical, easy-to-use structure to facilitate rapid access to pertinent information Natural Polymers for Biomedical Applications is ideal for materials scientists, polymer chemists, biochemists, and any researcher or professional in biomedical or pharmaceutical industries.

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.Natural-based polymers for biomedical applications is a standard reference for biomedical engineers, those studying and researching in this important area, and the medical community. - Examines the sources, processing and properties of natural based polymers for biomedical applications - Explains how the surfaces of polymer based biomaterials can be modified to improve their functionality - Discusses the use of natural based polymers for hydrogels in tissue engineering, and in particular natural gelling polymers for encapsulation and regenerative medicine

This book provides understanding of raw materials, manufacturing and biomedical applications of different polymeric and natural composites such as drug delivery, growth factor delivery, orthopedics, dentistry and wound dressing.

In recent years, many animal-derived polymers have emerged as an attractive category of naturally derived polymers because of their advantageous physicochemical, chemical, and biological properties. The important biological properties of these natural polymers derived from animals are biocompatibility and biodegradation. These polymers are generally composed of repeated units of amino acids. Moreover, these polymers can be modified physically and/or chemically to improve their biomaterial properties. Natural Polymers for Pharmaceutical Applications, Volume 3: Animal-Derived Polymers looks at how these polymers can be exploited as pharmaceutical excipients in various pharmaceutical dosage forms, like microparticles, nanoparticles, ophthalmic preparations, gels, implants, etc. The commonly used animal-derived polymers used as pharmaceutical excipients are hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan), albumin, collagen, gelatin, chondroitin, etc.

Polymers are important and attractive biomaterials for researchers and clinical applications due to the ease of tailoring their chemical, physical and biological properties for target devices. Due to this versatility they are rapidly replacing other classes of biomaterials such as ceramics or metals. As a result, the demand for biomedical polymers has grown exponentially and supports a diverse and highly monetized research community. Currently worth $1.2bn in 2009 (up from $650m in 2000), biomedical polymers are expected to achieve a CAGR of 9.8% until 2015, supporting a current research community of approximately 28,000+. Summarizing the main advances in biopolymer development of the last decades, this work systematically covers both the physical science and biomedical engineering of the multidisciplinary field. Coverage extends across synthesis, characterization, design consideration and biomedical applications. The work supports scientists researching the formulation of novel polymers with desirable physical, chemical, biological, biomechanical and degradation properties for specific targeted biomedical applications. - Combines chemistry, biology and engineering for expert and appropriate integration of design and engineering of polymeric biomaterials - Physical, chemical, biological, biomechanical and degradation properties alongside currently deployed clinical applications of specific biomaterials aids use as single source reference on field. - 15+ case studies provides in-depth analysis of currently used polymeric biomaterials, aiding design considerations for the future

This book introduces the most recent innovations in natural polymer applications in the food, construction, electronics, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and engineering industries. The authors provide perspectives from their respective range of industries covering classification, extraction, modification, and application of natural polymers from various sources in nature. They discuss the techniques used in analysis of natural polymers in various systems incorporating natural polymers as well as their intrinsic properties.

Develop natural solutions to biomedical problems with this introduction A natural polymer is one that forms from biosynthetic or biochemical processes typically found in nature, with corresponding advantages in biocompatibility and biodegradability. These advantages give natural polymers a range of applications, from the use of polysaccharides as structural components to the use of polyphenols as antioxidant active ingredients. In biomedical engineering they are clearly preferable to synthetic polymers in numerous cases, and their applications are more numerous every day. Natural Polymers for Biomedical Applications offers a comprehensive summary of these polymers and their biomedical applications. It covers the sources, structures, and properties of polysaccharides, polyphenols, and polypeptides, as well as analyzing the latest advances in polymer-based biomedical technologies. The result has ramifications in a vast range of industries and research areas. In Natural Polymers for Biomedical Applications readers will also find: Applications including drug and cell delivery, cell and organoid cultures, tissue regeneration, and more Detailed analysis of alginate, cellulose, quercetin, silk fibroin, and many others A logical, easy-to-use structure to facilitate rapid access to pertinent information Natural Polymers for Biomedical Applications is ideal for materials scientists, polymer chemists, biochemists, and any researcher or professional in biomedical or pharmaceutical industries.

This new book presents the authors’ biomedical studies of natural degradable biopolymers (polyhydroxyalkanoates [PHAs]) and discusses the demand for medical-grade materials and modern trends, focusing on the present status and future potential of PHAs. The authors present and summarize their most important results and findings obtained during the last few years in experimental studies and clinical trials of PHAs at the Institute of Biophysics Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Science.

Natural Polymers, Biopolymers, Biomaterials, and Their Composites, Blends, and IPNs focuses on the recent advances in natural polymers, biopolymers, biomaterials, and their composites, blends, and IPNs. Biobased polymer blends and composites occupy a unique position in the dynamic world of new biomaterials. The growing need for lubricious coatings and surfaces in medical devices—an outcome of the move from invasive to noninvasive medicines/procedures—is playing a major role in the advancement of biomaterials technology. Natural polymers have attained their cutting-edge technology through various platforms, yet there is a lot of novel information about them that is discussed in the book. This important work covers topics such as chitosan composites for biomedical applications and wastewater treatment, coal biotechnology, biomedical and related applications of second generation polyamidoamines, silk fibers, PEG hydrogels, bamboo fiber reinforced PE composites, jute/polyester composites, magnetic biofoams, and many other interesting aspects of importance to polymer research today.