​The collection of chapters in this proceedings volume brings together research from academic and industry scientists and clinical development experts who are focused on contemporary and emerging aspects of improving treatments employing biosurfaces. Interactions between biomaterial implants, devices, cell therapies, and whole organ transplants frequently trigger activation of body defense systems and responses that negatively affect the clinical outcome. Optimal tissue integration and modulation of foreign body reactions is therefore essential for preserving anticipated functions and avoiding adverse effects. Topics covered include mechanistic and applied research within the fields of extracorporeal devices, soft and hard tissue implants, tissue and biomaterial-targeting, therapeutic modulation of foreign body reactions, cell encapsulations, as well as cell and whole organ transplantation.

Ideal as a graduate textbook, this title is aimed at helping design effective biomaterials, taking into account the complex interactions that occur at the interface when a synthetic material is inserted into a living system. Surface reactivity, biochemistry, substrates, cleaning, preparation, and coatings are presented, with numerous case studies and applications throughout. Highlights include: Starts with concepts and works up to real-life applications such as implantable devices, medical devices, prosthetics, and drug delivery technology Addresses surface reactivity, requirements for surface coating, cleaning and preparation techniques, and characterization Discusses the biological response to coatings Addresses biomaterial-tissue interaction Incorporates nanomechanical properties and processing strategies

Despite its limitation in terms of surface covered area, the PLD technique still gathers interest among researchers by offering endless possibilities for tuning thin film composition and enhancing their properties of interest due to: (i) the easiness of a stoichiometric transfer even for very complex target materials, (ii) high adherence of the deposited structures to the substrate, (iii) controlled degree of phase, crystallinity, and thickness of deposited coatings, (iv) versatility of the experimental set-up which allows for simultaneous ablation of multiple targets resulting in combinatorial maps or consecutive ablation of multiple targets producing multi-layered structures, and (v) adjustment of the number of laser pulses, resulting in either a spread of nanoparticles, islands of materials or a complete covering of a surface. Moreover, a variation of PLD, known as Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation, allows for deposition of organic materials, ranging from polymers to proteins and even living cells, otherwise difficult to transfer unaltered in the form of thin films by other techniques. Furthermore, the use of laser light as transfer agent ensures purity of films and pulse-to-pulse deposition allows for an unprecedented control of film thickness at the nm level. This Special Issue is a collection of state-of-the art research papers and reviews in which the topics of interest are devoted to thin film synthesis by PLD and MAPLE, for numerous research and industry field applications, such as bio-active coatings for medical implants and hard, protective coatings for cutting and drilling tools withstanding high friction and elevated temperatures, sensors, solar cells, lithography, magnetic devices, energy-storage and conversion devices, controlled drug delivery and in situ microstructuring for boosting of surface properties.

Ideal as a graduate textbook, this title is aimed at helping design effective biomaterials, taking into account the complex interactions that occur at the interface when a synthetic material is inserted into a living system. Surface reactivity, biochemistry, substrates, cleaning, preparation, and coatings are presented, with numerous case studies and applications throughout. Highlights include: Starts with concepts and works up to real-life applications such as implantable devices, medical devices, prosthetics, and drug delivery technology Addresses surface reactivity, requirements for surface coating, cleaning and preparation techniques, and characterization Discusses the biological response to coatings Addresses biomaterial-tissue interaction Incorporates nanomechanical properties and processing strategies

Magnetic Sensors and Actuators in Medicine: Materials, Devices, and Applications provides an overview of the various sensors and actuators, their characteristics, role in the development of medical applications, the medical problems they solve, and future directions. The book brings together recent advances in the physics, chemistry and engineering of magnetic materials related to sensors and actuators that improve their functions in medical applications. The book describes the main applications of magnetic sensors and actuators, starting from the common and emerging magnetic materials, their principles of operation, the medical problems that they are used to address, and the latest achievements in the field. - Reviews a wide range of magnetic sensors and actuators employed in medical applications such as diagnosis, surgery and therapy - Describes magnetic material-based sensors and actuators, including their operation principles, properties and optimization for specific applications - Includes examples of recent advances, such as emerging magnetic materials, magnetic nanowires, nanorods and/or nanotubes

Islet transplantation can effectively control the blood glucose of fragile type 1 diabetes patients, thus significantly reducing hyperglycemia and improving HbA1c, and has become one of the ideal options for the treatment of type 1 diabetes patients. However, despite great progress, current islet transplantation is still limited by the isolation process, the culture period, and the rapid decline in islet functional activity after transplantation. Long-term survival and function of islet grafts are affected by non-immune and immune-related factors. To overcome these obstacles, various strategies, including stem cell combination transplantation, have been used for islet transplantation. Stem cells can promote vascular regeneration of islets and reduce inflammation and innate immune damage in the early stage of islet transplantation through potential immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, combined transplantation of islets and stem cells can improve the survival rate of islets. In view of this, we are very honored and pleased to have some of the leading research groups in diabetes research contribute to the topic of islet transplantation. This special issue of the current landscape is dedicated to summarizing the latest advancements in allogenic and xenogenic islet transplantation and strategies to overcome its current limitations. Diversified topics related to islet isolation, islet transplantation, stem cells, immune regulation, angiogenesis, and strategies overcoming immune responses are welcome.

Handbook of Biomaterials Biocompatibility is a systematic reference on host response to different biomaterials, taking into account their physical, mechanical and chemical properties. The book reviews recent progress in the design and study of biomaterials biocompatibility, along with current understanding on how to control immune system response. Sections provide the fundamental theories and challenges of biomaterials biocompatibility, the role of different biomaterials physicochemical surface properties on cell responses, cell responses to different physicochemical properties of polymers, ceramics, metals, carbons and nanomaterials, and biomaterials in different tissues, such as the cardiac, nervous system, cartilage and bone. This resource will be suitable for those working in the fields of materials science, regenerative engineering, medicine, medical devices and nanotechnology. - Reviews the fundamental theories and challenges of biomaterials biocompatibility, including an overview of the standards and regulations - Provides an overview on the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in host responses to biomaterials - Systematically looks at cellular response and tissue response to a wide range of biomaterials, including polymers, metals, ceramics, alloys and nanomaterials