Taylor & Francis Biofunctional Surface Engineering

Successful biofunctional surface engineering will determine the future of medical devices such as orthopedic implants, stents, catheters, vaccine scaffolds, wound dressings, and extracorporeal circulation devices. Moreover, the biosensor and diagnostic chip technology will evolve rapidly due to the growing medical need for personalized medicine. A major drawback in these technologies is the need for terminally sterilized products. However, novel and safe technologies, including coupling, stabilization, and protection of effector molecules, enable terminal sterilization without functional loss. This book provides a comprehensive overview on the state of the art and the future of biofunctional surface engineering and is of major interest for those working in the fields of medicine and medical devices. Review "This book fills a gap in the literature by educating researchers in the field of surface engineering as well as medical device and biotech professionals in industry and academic institutions about the broad applications of biofunctional surfaces and the profound medical needs they serve. It represents a bridge between the fields of devices, biotech, and pharma where communication often times suffers from a lack of cross-border expertise and―like all profound innovation―meets initial resistance. In this context, the translation of biofunctional surfaces also suffers from a lack of beaten paths on the regulatory approval side. Biofunctional Surface Engineering is to be commended for bringing together profound surface engineering expertise with very practical advice on regulatory issues, i.e. on the translation of these novel technologies into marketed products and therapies. This is a very substantial book, for both young and senior scientists and industry professionals seeking inspiration and motivation from groundbreaking translational research that brings together biotech, drugs, and devices, a very fundamental trend in today’s life sciences." Dr. Georg Matheis Novalung GmbH, Germany About the Author Martin Scholz is a biologist and an expert in the biological functionalization of materials. As chief scientific officer with LEUKOCARE, a Germany-based biotech company, he is responsible for the company’s R&D activities regarding biologic-device combination products with focus on improved biomolecule stability during stress exposure such as irradiation and long-term product storage. Prof. Scholz’s track record shows more than 25 years of academic and industrial research activities in the field of biology and medical research.