Synopses & Reviews
A significant proportion of modern medical technology has been developed through biomimetics, that is biologically inspired by studying pre-existing functioning systems in nature. Typical biomimetically inspired biomaterials include nano-biomaterials, smart biomaterials, hybrid biomaterials, nano-biocomposites, hierarchically porous biomaterials and tissue scaffolds. This important book summarizes some of the key research in this important field.
Part one is devoted to the biomimetics of biomaterials themselves while part two provides overviews and case studies of tissue engineering applications from a biomimetics perspective. Both parts off a strong focus on cutting edge biomimetically-inspired biomaterials including chitin, hydrogels, calcium phosphates, biopolymers and anti-thrombotic coatings. Since many scaffolds for skin tissue engineering are biomimetically inspired, there are also chapters on the biomimetics of tissue engineering in the repair of bone, skin, cartilage, soft tissue and specific organs.
Review
"The only workable strategy in developing new biomaterials is to follow the best scientific practices in design and evaluation. Yet the vastness of the biomaterials literature and the general trend towards publishing only positive results makes it difficult to determine those best practices…This book is an antidote to many of these shortcomings by focusing on the state of the art in biomimetic biomaterials and their design."
From the Foreword by Professor Luke Hanley, University of Illinois at Chicago
Synopsis
Researchers and materials scientists are turning to biomimetics as a way to meet the needs for biocompatible, long lasting materials. Biomimetic biomaterials are synthetic materials designed to emulate the natural phenomena from the animal and plant kingdoms. Recent research has revealed that they can have applications in soft and hard tissue engineering, adhesives and coatings. The editor and contributors provide a thorough overview of the structure and applications of these novel materials. They discuss the structure and surfaces of biomimetic materials and review the biomedical applications.
About the Author
Andrew Ruys is Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Sydney, Australia. His research interests are in bioceramics, biopolymers, biomedical device design and biometals.
Table of Contents
Part 1 Biomimetic biomaterials, structure and surfaces: Biomimetic materials in regenerative medicine; Biomimetic potential of chitin-based composite biomaterials of poriferan origin; Hierarchical structure, mechanical properties and fabrication of biomimetic biomaterials; Biomimetic coatings for biomaterial surfaces; Functional gradients in natural and biomimetic spinal disk structures
Part 2 Tissue-engineering applications of biomimetic biomaterials: Biomimetic scaffolds for skin tissue and wound repair; Biomimetic scaffolds for stem cell-based tissue engineering; Biomimetic bone regeneration; Biomimetic hydrogels as scaffolds for tissue-engineering applications; Injectable biomimetic hydrogels for soft tissue repair