Main description:

Hydrogels are crosslinked, macromolecular polymeric materials arranged in a three-dimensional network, which can absorb and retain large amounts of water. Hydrogels are commonly used in clinical practice and experimental medicine for a wide range of applications, including drug delivery, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, diagnostics, cellular immobilization, separation of biomolecules or cells, and barrier materials to regulate biological adhesions. This book elucidates the underlying concepts and emerging applications of hydrogels and will provide key case studies and critical analysis of the existing research.

Contents:

Microarchitecture of Water Confined in Hydrogels. The Fate of Thixotropy in Hydrogels. Hydrogel Network Parameters. Mechanisms of drug release from hydrogels in medical applications. Hydrogel Coatings for Medical Device Applications. Hydrogels for Bone Regeneration: An Overview. Hydrogels in Wound Management. Hydrogels for Imaging, Sensing and Diagnostics. Engineering Hyaluronan (HA) Hydrogels with Bioactive and Mechanical Signals. Hydrogel Nanomaterials for Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy. Thermosensitive Hydrogels for Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering. Silk Hydrogels for Drug and Cell Delivery. In-Situ Forming Phase-inversion Injectable Hydrogels for Controlled Drug Release. Transdermal Applications of Hydrogels. Preparation of Photocurable Hydrogels. Stimuli-Responsive Biomolecular Hydrogels for Medical Applications. Bioengineering Complexity and Tuneability in Hydrogels. Synthetic hydrogels for 3D cell culture.