Micro- and Nanoengineered Gum-Based Biomaterials for Drug Delivery and Biomedical Applications

Micro- and Nanoengineered Gum-Based Biomaterials for Drug Delivery and Biomedical Applications focuses on micro- and nanotechnology in gums and biopolymers as drug and biomolecule carriers and their applications in biomedicine. Currently, natural gums and polymers are widely utilized as biocarrier systems, to deliver drugs and biomolecules to the target site, for prolonged release and the desired therapeutic effect. Natural gums and polymers are important because they are easily available from natural sources and are characteristically biodegradable, biocompatible, and nontoxic. Natural gums and polymers are also chemically modified with other polymers, in the presence of cross-linking agents, to develop scaffolds, matrices, composites, and interpenetrating polymer networks using micro- and nanotechnology. The book also discusses biological applications, such as gene delivery, cancer therapy, tissue engineering, bioimaging, and theranostics.

This book is an important reference source for biomaterials scientists, biomedical engineers, and pharmaceutical scientists, who are looking to increase their understanding of how micro- and nanoengineered biomaterials are being used to create more efficient gum-based drug delivery systems. Explains how micro- and nanoengineering is being used to make a variety of gum types more effective as nanocarriers. Explores the major biomedical applications of various gum classes. Assesses the major challenges of using micro- and nanotechnologies in gum-based biomedical systems.