First of all, I would like to share the great pleasure of the successful five-day symposium with every participant in the 5th Iketani Conference which was held in Kagoshima from April1S (Tuesday) to 22 (Saturday), 1995. Outstanding speakers enthusiastically presented their up-to-the-minute results. Relatively little time was allotted for each presentation to ensure asdnuch time· as possible for intensive discussions on the particular topics that had just been p~esented: I was delighted to see that the lectures were of high quality, and the discu,ssionswere lively, exciting, and productive in a congenial atmosphere. We also had 92 papers in the poster ·session, in which young (and relatively young) scientists made every effort to present the novel results of their research in advanced biomaterials and drug delivery systems (DDS). I believe some of the research is most promising and will become noteworthy in the twenty-first century. It was a privilege for me to deliver a lecture at the special session of the symposium. In my introductory remarks, I pointed out five key terms in multifaceted biomaterials research: materials design, concept or methodology, devices, properties demanded, and fundamentals. I am confident that innovative progress in device manufacturing for end-use, e.g., artificial organs, vascular grafts, and DDS, can be brought about only through properly designed advanced materials that exhibit the desired functionality at the interface with any living body.

Engineering of Biomaterials for Drug Delivery Systems: Beyond Polyethylene Glycol examines the combined issues of PEGylation and viable biomaterials as alternatives. With a strong focus on polymeric biomaterials, the book first reviews the major issues associated with PEGylation and its use in vivo. Chapters then focus on alternative polymer systems for drug delivery systems. Finally, nanoparticles and future perspectives are examined. This book is a valuable resource for scientists and researchers in biomaterials, pharmaceuticals and nanotechnology, and all those who wish to broaden their knowledge in this field. - Provides a self-contained work for the field of biomaterials for drug delivery - Summarizes the current knowledge on PEGylation and strategies for bypassing it - Presents research on an important, though under-represented issue in biomaterials - Written by a world-class team of research scientists, engineers and clinicians

Advanced 3D-Printed Systems and Nanosystems for Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering explores the intricacies of nanostructures and 3D printed systems in terms of their design as drug delivery or tissue engineering devices, their further evaluations and diverse applications. The book highlights the most recent advances in both nanosystems and 3D-printed systems for both drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. It discusses the convergence of biofabrication with nanotechnology, constructing a directional customizable biomaterial arrangement for promoting tissue regeneration, combined with the potential for controlled bioactive delivery. These discussions provide a new viewpoint for both biomaterials scientists and pharmaceutical scientists. - Shows how nanotechnology and 3D printing are being used to create systems which are intelligent, biomimetic and customizable to the patient - Explores the current generation of nanostructured 3D printed medical devices - Assesses the major challenges of using 3D printed nanosystems for the manufacture of new pharmaceuticals

Nanoengineered Biomaterials for Advanced Drug Delivery explores the latest advances in the applications of nanoengineered biomaterials in drug delivery systems. The book covers a wide range of biomaterials and nanotechnology techniques that have been used for the delivery of different biological molecules and drugs in the human body. It is an important resource for biomaterials scientists and engineers working in biomedicine and those wanting to learn more on how nanoengineered biomaterials are being used to enhance drug delivery for a variety of diseases. Nanoengineered biomaterials have enhanced properties that make them more effective than conventional biomaterials as both drug delivery agents, and in the creation of new drug delivery systems. As nanoengineering becomes more cost-effective, nanoengineered biomaterials have become more widely used within biomedicine. - Offers an informed overview on how nanoengineering biomaterials enhance their properties for drug delivery applications - Discusses the major applications of nanoengineered biomaterials for drug delivery - Outlines the major challenges for successfully implementing nanoengineered biomaterials into existing drug delivery systems

Materials for Biomedical Engineering: Organic Micro- and Nanostructures provides an updated perspective on recent research regarding the use of organic particles in biomedical applications. The different types of organic micro- and nanostructures are discussed, as are innovative applications and new synthesis methods. As biomedical applications of organic micro- and nanostructures are very diverse and their impact on modern and future therapy, diagnosis and prophylaxis of diseases is huge, this book presents a timely resource on the topic. Users will find the latest information on cancer and gene therapy, diagnosis, drug delivery, green synthesis of nano- and microparticles, and much more. - Provides knowledge of the range of organic micro- and nanostructures available, enabling the reader to make optimal materials selection decisions - Presents detailed information on current and proposed applications of the latest biomedical materials - Places a strong emphasis on the characterization, production and use of organic nanoparticles in biomedicine, such as gene therapy, DNA interaction and cancer management

Materials for Biomedical Engineering: Nanomaterials-Based Drug Delivery highlights the progress made in the field of nanostructures bioactive materials and their impact on efficient drug delivery towards personalized medicine. Drug delivery is a well investigated and challenging bio-medical field, with promising perspectives in medicine and engineering. This book brings together the latest research findings regarding nanostructured materials and their potential in designing highly efficient and personalized drug delivery systems. - Provides a valuable resource of recent scientific progress, highlighting the most well-known applications of nanostructures in drug delivery systems - Includes novel opportunities and ideas for developing or improving technologies in composites by companies, biomedical industries, and in related sectors - Features at least 50% of references from the last 2-3 years