Nanobodies have become outstanding tools for biomedical research, diagnostics and therapy. Recent advances in the identification and functionalization of target-specific nanobodies now make nanobody-based approaches broadly available to many researches in the field. This book provides a compilation of original research articles and comprehensive reviews covering important and up to date aspects of research on nanobodies and their applications for immunoassays, proteomics, protein crystallization and in vitro and in vivo imaging.

This book explores the close connection between immunology and nuclear medicine, which has led to radioimmunoimaging and radioimmunotherapy (RIT). Molecular imaging with positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is increasingly being used to diagnose, characterize, and monitor disease activity in the context of inflammatory disorders of known and unknown etiology, such as sarcoidosis, atherosclerosis, vasculitis, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and degenerative joint disease. The first chapters discuss the various radiopharmaceutical agents and radiolabeled preparations that have been employed in inflammation imaging. Of these, FDG-PET imaging has been shown to have the great value in the detection of inflammation and has become the centerpiece of several initiatives over the last several years. This very powerful technique will play an increasingly important role in the management of patients with inflammatory conditions in the future. The book also explores the growing role of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The rapid pace of change has been fueled by advances in our understanding of tumor biology, on the one hand, and the development of specifically targeted medical therapies, diagnostic agents, and radiotherapies, on the other. Written by leading international experts in the field, this book is an invaluable tool for nuclear medicine physicians, radiologists, oncologists, and immunologists.

In recent years, the fabrication of nanomaterials and exploration of their properties have attracted the attention of various scientific disciplines such as biology, physics, chemistry, and engineering. Although nanoparticulate systems are of significant interest in various scientific and technological areas, there is little known about the safety of these nanoscale objects. It has now been established that the surfaces of nanoparticles are immediately covered by biomolecules (e.g. proteins, ions, and enzymes) upon their entrance into a biological medium. This interaction with the biological medium modulates the surface of the nanoparticles, conferring a “biological identity” to their surfaces (referred to as a “corona”), which determines the subsequent cellular/tissue responses. The new interface between the nanoparticles and the biological medium/proteins, called “bio-nano interface,” has been very rarely studied in detail to date, though the interest in this topic is rapidly growing. In this book, the importance of the physiochemical characteristics of nanoparticles for the properties of the protein corona is discussed in detail, followed by comprehensive descriptions of the methods for assessing the protein-nanoparticle interactions. The advantages and limitations of available corona evaluation methods (e.g. spectroscopy methods, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography, and differential centrifugal sedimentation) are examined in detail, followed by a discussion of the possibilities for enhancing the current methods and a call for new techniques. Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages of protein-nanoparticle interaction phenomena are explored and discussed, with a focus on the biological impacts.

Functionalized Nanomaterials for Cancer Research: Applications in Treatments, Tools and Devices presents an in-depth and step by step description of knowledge on functionalized nanomaterials for cancer research, including treatment and future developments as well as their impact on patients' overall outcomes. The book discusses the functionalized nanoplatforms for cancer detection and imaging, interactions between nanomaterials and cancer cells, and drug resistant malignancies. The chapters are organized in a manner that can be readily adopted as sources for new and further studies by highlighting the main in vitro and in vivo nano-therapeutic achievements on cancer. Additionally, current trends on functionalized nanomaterials for cancer research and commercial scale opportunities are discussed. It is a valuable resource for researchers, oncologists, students, and members of the biomedical and medical fields who want to learn more about the potential of nanotechnology in cancer research and treatment. - Provides comprehensive coverage on functionalized nanomaterials for cancer therapeutics and future developments - Explores current trends on functionalized nanomaterials for cancer research and commercial scale opportunities - Discusses real-world case studies on functionalized nanomaterials for cancer therapy and research

In recent times there has been an explosive expansion of new imaging methodologies that are capable of visualizing specific populations of cells and molecular events in vivo. Vital imaging enhances our ability to study animal models of human development and disease, such as cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's. Furthermore, non-invasive imaging may ultimately be useful for monitoring new generations of clinical molecular and cellular therapeutics, such as those utilizing viral vectors and stem cells. These new capabilities have been facilitated by the development of new imaging probes or reagents that target specific cell types, are chemically responsive to physiology, or are responsive to the presence of specific molecules, such as nucleic acids or enzymes. This volume provides an introduction to some of the most exciting methods and applications of emerging non-invasive imaging technologies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and various biophotonic approaches. Highlighted, are recent developments in reagent design that impart unique abilities to these imaging modalities to elucidate biological processes in vivo. * Includes 9 chapters by expert researchers in the field of imaging * Introduces new methods and applications of non-invasive imaging technologies * Covers ermerging topics in imaging such as in vivo cell cancer cells, imaging of autoimmune diseases, and maganetic resonance imaging

The development of the hybridoma technology created the possibility to obtain unlimited amounts of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) with high specificity and affinity for any target and to introduce mAbs in a wide range of applications; however, the bulky size of mAbs, costly production, and cumbersome engineering hampered regularly their streamlined development in some applications. In Single Domain Antibodies: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers examine single variable domain antibody fragments, referred to as VH, VL, VHH or VNAR. These fragments are the smallest intact antigen-binding fragments that can be produced recombinantly at low cost. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular BiologyTM series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.