Biomedical Nanotechnology: Methods and Protocols

Due to their unique size-dependent properties, nanomaterials have the potential to revolutionize the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease by offering superior capabilities compared to conventionally-used materials. Biomedical Nanotechnology: Methods and Protocols brings together experts from a wide variety of fields to provide a practical overview of biomedical nanotechnology, from the conception of novel materials in the laboratory to the application of such structures in the clinic. After a brief introductory chapter, the first section consists of protocol chapters which provide hands-on information on the synthesis of a variety of solution-phase and surface-bound nanomaterials and their application in sensing, imaging, and/or therapeutics, while the second section consists of a series of case studies and review chapters that discuss the toxicology of nanomaterials, the regulatory pathways to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of these materials, their patenting, marketing, and commercialization, and the legal and ethical issues surrounding their use. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, many chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and insightful tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.