Polymers and Nanomaterials for Gene Therapy provides the latest information on gene therapy, a topic that has attracted significant attention over the past two decades for the treatment of inherited and acquired genetic diseases. Major research efforts are currently focused on designing suitable carrier vectors that compact and protect oligonucleotides for gene therapy. The book explores the most recent developments in the field of polymer science and nanotechnology, and how these advancements have helped in the design of advanced materials. Non-viral vector systems, including cationic lipids, polymers, dendrimers, peptides and nanoparticles, are potential routes for compacting DNA for systemic delivery. However, unlike viral analogues that have no difficulty in overcoming cellular barriers and immune defense mechanisms, non-viral gene carriers consistently exhibit significant reduced transfection efficiency due to numerous extra- and intracellular obstacles. Therefore, biocompatibility and potential for large-scale production make these compounds increasingly attractive for gene therapy. This book contains chapters on the engineering of polymers and nanomaterials for gene therapy, and how they can form complexes with DNA and avoid both in vitro and in vivo barriers. Other chapters describe in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo gene therapy studies, and the current issues affecting non-viral gene therapy. Explores current challenges in the research of genetic diseases Discusses polymers for gene therapy and their function in designing advanced materials Provides examples of organic and inorganic nanomaterials for gene therapy Includes labeling, targeting, and assays Looks at characterization, physico-(bio)chemical properties, and applications

​The series Topics in Current Chemistry Collections presents critical reviews from the journal Topics in Current Chemistry organized in topical volumes. The scope of coverage is all areas of chemical science including the interfaces with related disciplines such as biology, medicine and materials science. The goal of each thematic volume is to give the non-specialist reader, whether in academia or industry, a comprehensive insight into an area where new research is emerging which is of interest to a larger scientific audience. Each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years are presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. The coverage is not intended to be an exhaustive summary of the field or include large quantities of data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the methodological thinking that will allow the non-specialist reader to understand the information presented. Contributions also offer an outlook on potential future developments in the field. The chapter "Polymeric Nanoparticle-Mediated Gene Delivery for Lung Cancer Treatment" is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Polymeric Nanomaterials in Nanotherapeutics describes how polymeric nanosensors and nanorobotics are used for biomedical instrumentation, surgery, diagnosis and targeted drug delivery for cancer, pharmacokinetics, monitoring of diabetes and healthcare. Key areas of coverage include drug administration and formulations for targeted delivery and release of active agents (drug molecules) to non-healthy tissues and cells. The book demonstrates how these are applied to dental work, wound healing, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, infectious diseases, chronic inflammatory diseases, metabolic diseases, and more. Methods of administration discussed include oral, dental, topical and transdermal, pulmonary and nasal, ocular, vaginal, and brain drug delivery and targeting. Drug delivery topics treated in several subchapters includes materials for active targeting and cases study of polymeric nanomaterials in clinical trials. The toxicity and regulatory status of therapeutic polymeric nanomaterials are also examined. The book gives a broad perspective on the topic for researchers, postgraduate students and professionals in the biomaterials, biotechnology, and biomedical fields. Shows how the properties of polymeric nanomaterials can be used to create more efficient medical treatments/therapies Demonstrates the potential and range of applications of polymeric nanomaterials in disease prevention, diagnosis, drug development, and for improving treatment outcomes Accurately explains how nanotherapeutics can help in solving problems in the field through the latest technologies and formulations

(cont.) We show that small modifications to the termini of a polymer can significantly increase its in vivo activity and demonstrate potential utility of these polymers in the fields of cancer therapy, genetic vaccines, and stem cell engineering. As the enhanced polymeric gene delivery nanoparticles described here have many attractive properties over a virus including high safety, low immunogenicity, high nucleic acid cargo capacity, ease in manufacture, a coating method for targeted delivery, and flexibility for future design improvements, we believe that these polymeric nanoparticles may be promising alternatives for therapeutic gene delivery applications.

This book focuses on various aspects of nanotechnology based gene silencing. The initial chapters detail the techniques available for in vitro and in vivo characterization of nanoparticles. In the later chapters, exhaustive details about various polymeric systems employed for gene silencing has been accounted.

Together, the nano explosion and the genomic revolution are ushering in a new frontier in drug delivery. In recent years we've seen how polymers can play a crucial role in controlling the rate of drug release, enhancing solubility and uptake, and limiting degradation and toxicity. In the very near future, they may well be used to deliver gene thera

Gene therapy is emerging as a new class of therapeutics for the treatment of inherited and acquired diseases. However, poor cellular uptake and instability of DNA in the physiological milieu limits its therapeutic potential, hence a vector which can protect and efficiently transport DNA to the target cells must be developed. Nanotechnology-based non-viral vectors have been proposed as potential candidates. Various polymeric nanoparticles have been shown to be suitable, with high cellular uptake efficiencies and reduced cytotoxicity. These delivery vectors form condensed complexes with DNA which result in shielding against enzymatic degradation and enhanced cellular targeting. Advantages including easy manipulatibility, high stability, low cost and high payload, mean that nanoparticles from various polymers have been exploited. Gene therapy gives a systematic account of the many aspects of nanotechnology mediated gene therapy, from the preparation of nanoparticles to physicochemical characterization, and follows with applications in in vitro and in vivo models. This book emphasizes the various aspects of nanotechnology-based gene therapy, with initial chapters detailing the tools and techniques available for preparation and in vitro and in vivo characterization of nanoparticles. Later chapters provide exhaustive details on polymeric systems employed for gene therapy. Provides an overview of nanotechnology applications in gene therapy, from preparation of nanoparticles to in vitro and in vivo studies Details the tools and techniques available for preparation, characterization and in vitro and in vivo study of nanoparticles Details the limitations of nanoparticle-mediated gene therapy and proposes ways in which they may be overcome