In The Aptamer Handbook, leading scientists from academia as well as biotech and pharma companies introduce the revolutionary concept of designing RNA and DNA oligonucleotides with novel functions by in vitro selection. These functions comprise high affinity binding (aptamers), catalytic activity (ribozymes and deoxyribozymes) or combinations of binding and catalytic properties (aptazymes). Basic concepts and technologies describing in detail how these functional oligonucleotides can be identified are presented. Numerous examples demonstrate the versatility of in vitro selected oligonucleotides. Special emphasis has been put on a section that shows the broad applicability of aptamers, e. g. in target validation, for analytics, or as new therapeutics. This first overview in the field is of prime interest for a broad audience of scientists both in academia and in industry who wish to expand their knowledge on the potential of new oligonucleotide functions and their applications.

This book outlines comprehensively the main medical uses of aptamers, from diagnosis to therapeutics in fourteen chapters. Pioneering topics covered include aptamer pharmaceuticals, aptamers for malign tumors, aptamers for personalized therapeutics and aptamers for point-of-care testing. The book offers an essential guide for medical scientists interested in developing aptamer-based schemes for better theranostics. It is therefore of interest for not only academic researchers, but also practitioners and medical researchers in various fields of medical science, medical research and bio-analytical chemistry.

The book discusses the basics of aptamers and the advent of aptamer-based technology in recent times. The book covers the diverse applications of aptamers, such as in detection of animal and plant pathogens, disease diagnosis and therapeutics, environmental contamination detection etc. Besides these applications, the book also describes the use of these synthetic or modified DNA, as drug delivery vehicles. The different chapters describe how the binding capacity and specificity of aptamers can be exploited in various ways. The book also discusses how these attributes of aptamers can outdo the antibody technology in biomedical and diagnostic solutions. This crisp and concise book gives the readers an insight into the most recent biotechnological applications of aptamers. ​

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue " Aptamers" that was published in IJMS

This is the first book to detail bioanalytical technologies and methods that have been developed using aptamers in analytical, medical, environmental, and food science applications. After an introduction to aptamers, aptamer targets, and their general uses, it discusses different applications with particular attention to the comparison between aptamer-based biosensors and methods versus the corresponding immunosensors. Examples of aptamer-based diagnostic techniques include whole-cell protein profiling (proteomics) and medical diagnostics for the distinction of diseased versus healthy states. This is a core reference for analytical chemists, electrochemists, pharmaceutical/medicinal chemists, biotechnologists, and others.

Aptamers, often termed as ‘chemical antibodies,’ are an emerging class of synthetic ligands for efficient target-specific molecular recognition. The objective of this book is to highlight recent advances and potential of aptamers in various disease conditions. . This book focuses on the applications of aptamers in targeted nanotherapy, detection, and in molecular imaging in various disease conditions such as cancer, neurological diseases and infectious diseases.

Aptamers Engineered Nanocarriers for Cancer Therapy details the selection technologies, biological characteristics, and clinical uses of aptamer-based nano agents for cancer therapeutics. The book helps facilitate speedy solutions for some of the problems pertaining to the manufacture of nano-aptamers – such as toxicity, thermal stability, cost efficiency, tumor penetration and blood stability. Key chapters cover cell-SELEX technology for aptamer selection, mechanisms of multi-drug resistance of cancer, the relevance of aptamers as anticancer therapies, as well as the broad range of aptamer-functionalized nanostructures available. This book provides exciting insights into this relatively new approach to cancer therapeutics, and will be of interest to materials scientists, biomedical engineers, molecular biologists, biochemists and clinical scientists, with a focus on cancer therapy. - Reviews the mechanisms behind multi-drug resistance (MDR) in cancer and how aptamer-mediated novel therapeutic agents and strategies can facilitate MDR reversal - Covers a range of aptamers engineered nanostructures, including PLGA nanoparticles, silica nanoparticles, quantum dots, nucleic acid aptamers, and more - Discusses the challenges associated with using aptamers as cancer therapeutics and how this translates into clinical use

Aptamers for Food Applications: Safety, Authenticity, and Integrity outlines the main applications of aptamers to ensure food safety, quality and compliance that are crucial for food science, public health and human sustainability. Aptamers or aptamer-based analytical devices are comprehensively summarized to tackle various food contamination or food adulteration problems. Topics covered in this book include aptamers for foodborne microbial pathogens, pesticide or veterinary drug residues, heavy metals, biotoxins, abused food additives, illegal food adulterants, POPs, GMOs, food allergens and food contact material migrants. It is therefore of interest for not only analytical investigators and food safety inspectors, but also regulatory practitioners and risk assessors in various food science and research fields. - Presents the versatilities of aptamers for food safety, quality and compliance - Provides utilities of aptamers for the analysis of almost all risk factors in foodstuffs - Includes food quality control and regulatory measures such as HACCP, MRLs, proficiency test and uncertainty assessment, along with case illustrations

An essential guide that puts the focus on method developments and applications in aptamers In recent years, aptamer-based systems have been developed for a wide-range of analytical and medical applications. Aptamers for Analytical Applications offers an introduction to the topic, outlines the common protocols for aptamer synthesis, as well as providing information on the different optimization strategies that can obtain higher affinities to target molecules. The contributors?noted experts on the topic?provide an in-depth review of the characterization of aptamer-target molecule interaction and immobilization strategies and discuss the developments of methods for all the relevant applications. The book outlines different schemes to efficiently immobilize aptamers on substrates as well as summarizing the characterization methods for aptamer-ligand complexes. In addition, aptamer-based colorimetric, enzyme-linked, fluorescent, electrochemical, lateral flow and non-labeling analytical methods are presented. The book also reflects state-of-the-art and emerging applications of aptamer-based methods. This important resource: -Provides a guide to aptamers which provide highly specific and sensitive molecular recognition, with affinities in the range of antibodies and are much cheaper to produce -Offers a discussion of the analytical method developments and improvements with established systems and beyond -Offers a comprehensive guide to all the relevant application areas -Presents an authoritative book from contributors who are noted experts in the field Written for analytical chemists, biochemists, analytical researchers, Aptamers for Analytical Applications is a comprehensive book that adopts a methodological point of view to the important aspects of aptamer generation and modification with a strong emphasis on method developments for relevant applications.

Volumes are organized topically and provide a comprehensive discussion of developments in the respective field over the past 3-5 years. The series also discusses new discoveries and applications. Special volumes are dedicated to selected topics which focus on new biotechnological products and new processes for their synthesis and purification. In general, special volumes are edited by well-known guest editors. The series editor and publisher will however always be pleased to receive suggestions and supplementary information. Manuscripts are accepted in English.