Gels Handbook ─ Fundamentals, Properties and Applications

Volume 1 covers state-of-art knowledge and techniques of fundamental aspects of hydrogel physics and chemistry with an eye on bioengineering applications. Topics include the types and chemistry of natural and synthetic hydrogels, hydrogels formation via photo-crosslink and self-assembly, the methods of tuning hydrogel mechanical properties and architecture, the techniques of tailoring hydrogel adhesiveness and biodegradability, and the development of environmental responsive hydrogels.Volume 2 explores the use of hydrogels in the interdisciplinary field of tissue engineering, presenting the design and application of various types of hydrogels in engineering of tissues and organs, including the skin, eye, bone and cartilage, heart, blood vessels, lung, liver, pancreas and urological organs. The role of hydrogels in stem cell differentiation and creation of biological niches mimicking native tissues is also discussed.Volume 3 focuses on two important aspects of hydrogels, that is, drug delivery and biosensing. For drug delivery, the authors present their work on synthetic, natural and supramolecular hydrogels. Injectable hydrogels and environment-responsive hydrogels are discussed in separate chapters due to their unique properties. For biosensing, topics including protein and cell laden hydrogels are discussed. Also included are biomolecular arrays patterning and cancer testing. in addition, as a special topic, the application of hydrogels in conjunction with microfluidic devices is discussed.