Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology - Volume 11, Issue 4, 2010

It is with great enthusiasm and excitement that I present this special edition dedicated to Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) and Nanotechnology for biomedical applications. We have received very unique articles from world class researchers that detail a great number of translational research innovations. Key aspects of the presented articles provide a solid general outlook for the next generation of biom Read More

Targeted drug delivery has traditionally relied on finding highly specific biochemical markers at a target location. However, recent developments in this area have shown that purely physical and physicochemical factors are as important and can be used to aid in the targeting process. Here, we review the physicochemical factors affecting the targeting and delivery process and their relation to established biochemical markers. W Read More

Nanotechnologies have the potential to improve current disease diagnosis due to their ability to circulate in the blood and distribute in the body to image tissues and cells or therapeutical applications to deliver a payload. Among nanoparticles with different materials composition, inorganic nanoparticles composed of calcium phosphate have numerous advantages including ease of synthesis, control of physico-chemical prop Read More

Significant recent progress has been made in the development of microfabricated nanofluidic devices for use in the biomedical sciences. Novel nanotechnological approaches have been explored in view of a more individualized medical approach. Much of the development has been fuelled by the advantages derived from utilizing nanoscale phenomena to manipulate fluid samples or mediate drug delivery. As such, we prese Read More

There are conditions in clinical medicine demanding critical therapeutic decisions. These conditions necessitate accuracy, rapidity, accessibility, cost-effectiveness and mobility. New technologies have been developed in order to address these challenges. Microfluidics and Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems are two of such technologies. Microfluidics, a discipline that involves processing fluids at the microscale in etched m Read More

Whole-cell bio-chips for functional sensing integrate living cells on miniaturized platforms made by microsystem- technologies (MST). The cells are integrated, deposited or immersed in a media which is in contact with the chip. The cells behavior is monitored via electrical, electrochemical or optical methods. In this paper we describe such whole-cell biochips where the signal is generated due to the genetic response of the cell Read More

In the past decade, novel fiber structures and material compositions have led to the introduction of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools. We review the structure, the material composition and the fabrication processes behind these novel fiber systems. Because of their structural flexibility, their compatibility with endoscopic appliances and their efficiency in laser delivery, these fiber systems have greatly extended Read More

Drug delivery microdevices based on MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems) represent the next generation of active implantable drug delivery systems. MEMS technology has enabled the scaling down of current delivery modalities to the micrometer and millimeter size. The complementary use of biocompatible materials makes this technology potentially viable for a wide variety of clinical applications. Conditions such as brai Read More

Implanted medical devices (IMDs), in particular neuro-stimulators, drug delivery chips and cochlear implants are undergoing miniaturization. Some of these miniaturized IMDs are “active” in the sense that they require a power source for operation. In most cases, the ideal power source needs to be an implanted battery of dimensions similar to that of the device. The state-of-the-art of battery miniaturization is reviewed with emph Read More