The discovery of uniform latex particles by polymer chemists of the Dow Chemical Company nearly 50 years ago opened up new exciting fields for scientists and physicians and established many new biomedical applications. Many in vitro diagnostic tests such as the latex agglutination tests, analytical cell and phagocytosis tests have since become rou tine. They were all developed on the basis of small particles bound to biological active molecules and fluorescent and radioactive markers. Further developments are ongoing, with the focus now shifted to applications of polymer particles in the controlled and di rected transport of drugs in living systems. Four important factors make microspheres interesting for in vivo applications: First, biocompatible polymer particles can be used to transport known amounts of drug and re lease them in a controlled fashion. Second, particles can be made of materials which bio degrade in living organisms without doing any harm. Third, particles with modified surfaces are able to avoid rapid capture by the reticuloendothelial system and therefore en hance their blood circulation time. Fourth, combining particles with specific molecules may allow organ-directed targeting.

Offering the latest information in magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) research, this book builds upon the success of the first volume and provides an updated and comprehensive review, from synthesis, characterization, and biofunctionalization to clinical applications of MNPs, including the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. The book captures some of emerging research area which was not available in the first volume. Good Manufacturing Practices and Commercialization of MNPs are also included. This volume, also written by some of the most qualified experts in the field, incorporates new developments in the literature, and continues to bridge the gaps between the different areas in this field.

The articles in this book summarize the work presented at the mid-term workshop of the COST (European Cooperation in the Fields of Scientific and Technical Research) action on Nanostructured Materials, which was held in October 2001 in Limerick, Ireland. The collection gives an excellent overview of the state-of-the-art, topical research areas in this field, and the progress made by the coordinated research projects. The articles cover synthesis, physical properties and characterization of nanostructured materials, such as magnetic and ferroelectric nanoparticles, nanoparticles in biological systems, metallic nanoparticles, nanocomposites, particle-reinforced polymers, semiconductor nanoparticles and thin films.

Advanced magnetic nanostructures is an emerging field in magnetism and nanotechnology, but the literature consists of a rich variety of original papers and parts of reviews and books whose scope is comparatively broad. This calls for a book with specific emphasis on state-of-the-art synthetic methods for fabricating, characterizing and theoretically modeling new magnetic nanostructures. This book is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of the present state of the field. Leading researchers world-wide have contributed a survey of their special ties to guide the reader through the exploding literature in nanomagnetic structures. The focus is on deliberately structured nanomagnets. It includes cluster assembled, self-organized and patterned thin films but excludes, for example, multilayered thin films. We target both industrial and academic researchers in magnetism and related areas, such as nanotechnology, materials science, and theoretical solid-state physics.

Magnetic Nanoparticles in Human Health and Medicine Explores the application of magnetic nanoparticles in drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging, and alternative cancer therapy Magnetic Nanoparticles in Human Health and Medicine addresses recent progress in improving diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and using non-invasive and non-toxic magnetic nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery and magnetic hyperthermia. Focusing on cancer diagnosis and alternative therapy, the book covers both fundamental principles and advanced theoretical and experimental research on the magnetic properties, biocompatibilization, biofunctionalization, and application of magnetic nanoparticles in nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine. Chapters written by a panel of international specialists in the field of magnetic nanoparticles and their applications in biomedicine cover magnetic hyperthermia (MHT), MRI contrast agents, biomedical imaging, modeling and simulation, nanobiotechnology, toxicity issues, and more. Readers are provided with accurate information on the use of magnetic nanoparticles in diagnosis, drug delivery, and alternative cancer therapeutics—featuring discussion of current problems, proposed solutions, and future research directions. Topics include current applications of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in nanomedicine and alternative cancer therapy: drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging, superparamagnetic hyperthermia as alternative cancer therapy, magnetic hyperthermia in clinical trials, and simulating the physics of magnetic particle heating for cancer therapy. This comprehensive volume: Covers both general research on magnetic nanoparticles in medicine and specific applications in cancer therapeutics Discusses the use of magnetic nanoparticles in alternative cancer therapy by magnetic and superparamagnetic hyperthermia Explores targeted medication delivery using magnetic nanoparticles as a future replacement of conventional techniques Reviews the use of MRI with magnetic nanoparticles to increase the diagnostic accuracy of medical imaging Magnetic Nanoparticles in Human Health and Medicine is a valuable resource for researchers in the fields of nanomagnetism, magnetic nanoparticles, nanobiomaterials, nanobioengineering, biopharmaceuticals nanobiotechnologies, nanomedicine, and biopharmaceuticals, particularly those focused on alternative cancer diagnosis and therapeutics.

Written by key experts in the field of nanomedicine, this book provides a broad introduction to the important field of nanomedicine and application of nanotechnology for drug delivery. It covers up-to-date information regarding various nanoparticulate drug delivery systems, describes the various opportunities for the application of nanoparticular drug carriers in different areas of clinical medicine, and analyzes already available information on their clinical applications. This book can be used as an advanced textbook by graduate students and young scientists and clinicians at the early stages of their career. It is also suitable for non-experts from related areas of chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, biomedical engineering, physiology, experimental and clinical medicine, and pharmaceutical sciences, who are interested in general problems of drug delivery and drug targeting, as well as in more specialized topics of using nanoparticulate-mediated drug delivery approaches in the individual areas of clinical medicine. Prof Torchilin is an expert in Nanomedicine and a recipient of numerous awards including the Lenin Prize in Science & Technology of the former USSR, membership in the European Academy of Sciences, and AAPS Research Achievement Award in Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery. He served as an Associate Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School before joining Northeastern University as the Chairman of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Sample Chapter(s). Chapter 1: Introduction. Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery: Needs and Requirements (442 KB). Contents: Nanoparticle Flow: Implications for Drug Delivery (A T Florence); Polymer Micelles as Drug Carriers (E V Batrakova et al.); Lipoproteins as Pharmaceutical Carriers (S Liu et al.); Dendrimers as Nanoparticular Drug Carriers (S Svenson & D A Tomalia); Cells and Cell Ghosts as Drug Carriers (J M Lanao & M L Sayalero); Magnetic Nanoparticles as Drug Carriers (U O Hnfeli & M Chastellain); Liposomal Drug Carriers in Cancer Therapy (A A Gabizon); Delivery of Nanoparticles to the Cardiovascular System (B-A Khaw); Nanoparticles for Targeting Lymphatics (W Phillips); Nanoparticular Carriers for Ocular Drug Delivery (A Sanchez & M J Alonso); and other papers. Readership: Graduate students, academics in nanomedicine, clinicians, pharmacologists, pharmacists, bioengineers, researchers in biotechnology and diagnostic imaging."

Biochemical transparency of the human body is at the doorstep of advanced technology. Toward this goal the book describes relevant isotopic tracer techniques of nuclear medicine. It deals with quantitatively measuring in vivo biochemical reactions as they occur within homeostatic circuits under control by genes and protein interactions. The text indicates how nuclear medicine can aid clinical researchers and practitioners, human geneticists and pharmacologists in understanding (and affecting) gene-phenotype relationships. Experts give background, techniques and examples in an interdisciplinary approach to regional imaging and in vitro analyses of biochemical reactions.