Self-Assembled Peptide Nanostructures

"Nature is the grand master who has designed a few simple and elegant building blocks and structural motifs that undergo orderly and hierarchical self-assembly with remarkable precision and in a timely manner.  The field of self-assembly of diverse peptides, designed by both nature and scientists, has rapidly advanced from an initial curiosity observation found in a fragment of a yeast protein and curiosity-driven research to a relentless pursuit to understand it.  With these developments, numerous and diverse applications have been found, which leads to a new material peptide economy.  Despite the current emphasis on application-driven research, it is the curiosity-driven research that has opened the door to applications.  It is anticipated that self-assembling peptides will find uses in many areas, from biotechnology, nanobiotechnology, and nanomedicine to clinical benefits for mankind.  This book timely summarizes the recent advances that will be interesting not only to curious students, practicing scientists, bioengineers, materials scientists, medical doctors, and clinicians but also to consultants, technical analysts, investment bank analysts, and beyond.  Stay informed."

~Dr. Shuguang Zhang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

"A very timely contribution that brings together state-of-the-art research in the emerging field of peptide self-assembly.  This volume is highly recommended for researchers interested in both theoretical aspects of how peptides self-assemble and the burgeoning number of applications that are appearing for these fascinating structures."

~Prof. Juliet A. Gerrard, University of Canterbury, New Zealand

"This book presents both an introduction to and updated review of peptide-based nano-assemblies, ranging from a detailed description of the molecular forces governing self-assembly to applications in bionanotechnology and medicine, with an especially interesting chapter on how to manipulate self-assembled nanostructures for integration into devices. It is a complete yet succinct overview of the current research into the subject and its applications."

~Dr. Mark J. van Raaij, Centro Nacional de Biotecnologia, Spain