Editorial [Hot Topic: Hot Topic Implantable Drug/Protein Delivery Systems Fabricated Using Electrospinning (Guest Editors: Sirinrath Sirivisoot, Rajesh Pareta and Thomas J. Webster)]

Nanotechnology has drawn much attention in the field of implantable drug and gene delivery devices to treat various diseases worldwide. Control of the molecular assembly of materials at the nanoscale offers many advantages to selectively target diseases and locally release drugs leading to maximum therapeutic efficacy with low systemic toxicity. It has become increasing apparent that every individual responds differently to implanted medical devices and disease treatments. Yet, we continue to prescribe the same implants and treatments regardless of the inherent variations in immune systems. Nanotechnology could provide a way to match an individual's own immune system by developing devices that can simultaneously detect health problems and respond immediately to correct such health problems. Furthermore, such nano drug delivery systems can be controlled externally to release drugs only when required. Nanomaterials are small enough to enter cells and respond to external stimuli (like magnetic, infrared wavelengths, or conductivity) to both detect chemical imbalances and treat such imbalances through on-demand drug release. Although this is the next goal for nanotechnology in medicine, is it really that simple? Simplicity usually comes with great complications as Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”. The purpose of this special issue is to provide scientists and biomedical engineers both in research and industrial settings a platform where advanced in-situ drug delivery systems and smart implants are discussedin the context of nanotechnology. The drug delivery systems, nanomaterials, implants and nanotechnology are separately addressed first but the interrelationship of these systems can be clearly seen in the applications in health care today and becomes apparent among the contents of many topics covered in this issue. Enormous efforts have been made by different contributors to first provide an overview and then discuss the problem and finally, a nanotechnology-based treatment.....