This book highlights recent advances in natural and synthetic biomaterials-based hydrogel for drug delivery carriers and tissue engineering. It covers key topics such as chitosan, alginate, gelatin, cyclodextrin, cellulose, starch, hyaluronic acid, dextran, collagen hydrogel, Injectable hydrogel magnetic hydrogel, DNA-based hydrogels, 3D printing of hydrogels, hydrogel for bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, etc. Each chapter develops a particular aspect of recent advances in biomaterial-based Hydrogels delivery systems to cover the importance, fabrication technology, characterization, evaluation, delivery of therapeutic and biomedical applications, and future perspectives. Written by a group of renowned scientists, chemists, biologists, and engineers from around the world, the book is designed as an important reference resource for scientists and researchers working on advanced biomaterials in the fields of pharmaceuticals, biomedical science, biomedical engineering, nanotechnology, and material science for most updated findings and future research trends.

This book is concerned with polymeric hydrogels, which are considered as one of the most promising types of new polymer-based materials. Each chapter in this book describes a selected class of polymeric hydrogels, such as superabsorbent hybrid nanohydrogels, conducting polymer hydrogels, polysaccharide-based or protein-based hydrogels, or gels based on synthetic polymers. In this way, the book also addresses some of the fascinating properties and applications of polymeric hydrogels: they are three-dimensional, hydrophilic, polymeric networks that can absorb, swell and retain large quantities of water or aqueous fluids. In combination with metal nanoparticles, nanofibrils or nanowhiskers, which may be embedded in the gels, they find widespread applications, ranging from agriculture, and waste water treatment, over electronics, to pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Applications mentioned in this book include electro sensors, capacitors, electromechanical actuators, and even artificial muscles.

Hydrogels are very important for biomedical applications because they can be chemically manipulated to alter and control the hydrogel's interaction with cells and tissues. Their flexibility and high water content is similar to that of natural tissue, making them extremely suitable for biomaterials applications. Biomedical hydrogels explores the diverse range and use of hydrogels, focusing on processing methods and novel applications in the field of implants and prostheses. Part one of this book concentrates on the processing of hydrogels, covering hydrogel swelling behaviour, superabsorbent cellulose-based hydrogels and regulation of novel hydrogel products, as well as chapters focusing on the structure and properties of hydrogels and different fabrication technologies. Part two covers existing and novel applications of hydrogels, including chapters on spinal disc and cartilage replacement implants, hydrogels for ophthalmic prostheses and hydrogels for wound healing applications. The role of hydrogels in imaging implants in situ is also discussed. With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Biomedical hydrogels is an excellent reference for biomedical research scientists and engineers in industry and academia, as well as others involved in research in this area, such as research clinicians. - Examines the diverse range and use of hydrogels, focusing on processing methods and novel applications - Comprehensive book explores the structure and properties of hydrogels and different fabrication technologies - Covers important areas such as processing of hydrogels, covering hydrogel swelling behaviour, superabsorbent cellulose-based hydrogels and regulation of novel hydrogel products

Due to their unique properties, chitosan-based materials have emerged as useful resources in a variety of medicines, drug controlled-release carriers, tissue engineering scaffolds, and immobilized enzymes. But many of these materials have yet to reach the commercial market. Therefore, more work must be completed to fill the gap between research and

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 prospect of revolutionizing specific technologies, this book highlights the most exciting and impactful current research in the fields of cellulose-based superabsorbent hydrogels with their smart applications. The book assembles the newest synthetic routes, characterization methods, and applications in the emergent area. Leading experts in the field have contributed chapters representative of their most recent research results, shedding light on the enormous potential of this field and thoroughly presenting cellulose-based hydrogel functioning materials. The book is intended for the polymer chemists, academic and industrial scientists and engineers, pharmaceutical and biomedical scientists and agricultural engineers engaged in research and development on absorbency, absorbent products and superabsorbent hydrogels. It can also be supportive for undergraduate and graduate students.

This book introduces readers to the latest advances in hydrogel biomaterials, mainly focusing on the emerging areas of synthetic and biopolymer hydrogels formed through specially designed chemical or physical crosslinking, and the cyclodextrin-based host-guest supramolecular self-assembly, for cell encapsulation, cell expansion, cell differentiation and tissue repair, stem cell culture, and cellular therapy and drug delivery applications. The book was written by experts at the forefront of these interdisciplinary areas and is intended for all researchers working in the fields of biomaterials and biomedical engineering, as well as medical professions. Jun Li is a Professor at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Yoshihito Osada is a Professor at RIKEN Advanced Science Institute, Japan. Justin Cooper-White is a Professor at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Australia.

Hydrogels are highly hydrated three dimensional networks with the ability to mimic the extracellular matrix of bodily tissues and have thus found application in a wide range of biomedical applications. Unique physiochemical properties such as biocompatibility, water permeability, stimuli responsiveness and self-healing characteristics make them especially useful for use as scaffolds and matrices drug delivery, tissue engineering/regeneration and sensing. Their weak and brittle nature, however, often limits their widespread application where improved mechanical strength is required. To resolve this problem, there has been a significant amount of research into the improvement of their mechanical properties. Among these efforts, versatile multicomponent hydrogels have received much attention as their physiochemical properties can be structurally engineered to provide a wide range of desired properties. These multicomponent formulations also allow for the combination of natural and synthetic polymers, which offers the scope to exploit the advantages of each component, with the synergistic effects resulting from mutual interactions. This book critically discusses the fundamental chemistry, synthesis, characterisation, physiochemical and biological properties of various types of multicomponent hydrogels. It reviews the different strategies employed in designing and synthesizing cutting-edge multicomponent hydrogels and their key applications in biomedical fields. The work is suitable for researchers working in the specific area of multicomponent hydrogels, and also more generally for those working in materials science, biomedical engineering, biomaterials science and tissue engineering.

Polysaccharide-Based Hydrogels: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications looks at the synthesis, characterization and application of polysaccharide-based materials in a broad array of fields. The book discusses the role of polysaccharides in the preparation of hydrogels, the use of hydrogel-based green materials, and their applications in biomedical applications, drug delivery, water purification techniques, food industries, agricultural fields, and pharmaceuticals applications. Written by leading experts in this field, this book will be a valuable reference for scientists, academicians, researchers, technologists, consultants and policymakers. - Explains origin, extraction, processing, structural analysis and applications of polysaccharides-based hydrogels - Includes chapters that specifically focus on a particular hydrogel - Provides specific applications of polysaccharide hydrogels