Contents

#### **Preface XI**

Chapter 1 **Introductory Chapter: Reduce the Gap from Bench to Bedside for Nanomedicines Increasing the Stability to Long-Term Storage 1** Teresa Musumeci and Rosario Pignatello

#### Chapter 2 **Spray Drying: An Overview 9** Daniel Santos, Ana Colette Maurício, Vitor Sencadas, José Domingos Santos, Maria H. Fernandes and Pedro S. Gomes


Chapter 5 **Electrochemical Characterization of an Optical Fiber Laser-Treated Biomaterial 75** Eurico Felix Pieretti, Olandir Vercíno Corrêa, Marina Fuser Pillis and Maurício David Martins das Neves

Chapter 6 **Tuned Hydroxyapatite Materials for Biomedical Applications 87** Ewerton Gomes Vieira, Thátila Wanessa da Silva Vieira, Marcos Pereira da Silva, Marcus Vinicius Beserra dos Santos, Carla Adriana Rodrigues de Sousa Brito, Roosevelt Delano de Sousa Bezerra, Ana Cristina Vasconcelos Fialho, Josy Anteveli Osajima and Edson Cavalcanti da Silva Filho

Preface

Scientists who dedicate their research activity to biomaterials pass through the typical dichot‐ omy that often characterizes the basic research: on one hand is the wish of exploring new frontiers of chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, pharmaceutics, food science, and all the fields to which biomaterials can be applied. The constantly advancing scientific knowledge would prompt the researchers to explore new strategies for producing materials with im‐ proved and tailored features. On the other hand, the attempts to give an "official" definition for biomaterials impose strong limitations to the potentiality of basic research. Just as exam‐ ples, biomaterials are defined as "a nonviable material used in a medical device, intended to interact with biological systems" (Consensus Conference of the European Society for Bioma‐ terials, 1986) or "any substance or combination of substances, other than drugs, synthetic or natural in origin, which can be used for any period of time, which augments or replaces parti‐ ally or totally any tissue, organ, or function of the body, in order to maintain or improve the quality of life of the individual" (American National Institute of Health) or even "a systemati‐ cally and pharmacologically inert substance designed for implantation within or incorpora‐

tion with living systems" (Clemson University Advisory Board for Biomaterials).

or synthetic compound, but they can only fit a particular aspect of their function.

thetic and engineered macromolecular materials.

by industrial or profit concerns.

Essentially, the only common property is that a biomaterial is different from a biological ma‐ terial that is produced by a biological system. Clearly, none of the proposed definitions can succeed to cover the whole setting of properties and applications of this plethora of natural

These considerations have been one of the bases of the present editorial task that reached its second edition and involves volumes focused on the recent developments and applications of biomaterials. This contribution book collects review articles and experimental reports from eminent experts who are actively involved in this scientific area, striving to cover the interdisciplinary aspects necessary for an effective development and the use of biomaterials. Contributors were asked to give their personal and recent experience on biomaterials, re‐ gardless of any specific limitation to fit into one definition or the other. In our opinion, this book will give readers a wider idea on the new and ongoing potentialities of different syn‐

In the meantime, an editorial choice was not to limit the selection of papers concerning mar‐ ket or clinical applications of biomaterials, but results coming from very fundamental stud‐ ies are welcomed in these textbooks. This preference will also allow to gain a more general view of how the various biomaterials can be applied, along with the methodologies necessa‐ ry to design, develop, and characterize them, without the restrictions necessarily imposed
