Nanomedicine is a rapidly evolving field and refers to the clinical application of nanotechnologies. However, as with all new technologies, there are ethical, safety, and regulatory issues in this field also. This handbook, written by leading international experts, provides an overview of the state of the art of safety assessment of nanomaterials (nanotoxicology) in context of their application in nanomedicine. The volume includes a historical perspective on the development of nanomedicine(s) and their regulation, and a personal view of the future of (nano)medicine by Patrick Hunziker, president of the European Society of Nanomedicine. Ethical considerations in relation to nanomedicine are also discussed. The volume includes a series of chapters on organ-specific toxicities of nanomaterials, including pulmonary and cardiovascular toxicity, neurotoxicity, dermatotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity, as well as a discussion on immunotoxicity and genotoxicity. The importance of a thorough characterization of physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials is emphasized. The handbook includes a critical discussion of the applicability of in vitro versus in vivo methods and models for nanosafety assessment, along with an introduction to mathematical modeling approaches with a view to a predictive toxicology of nanomaterials. The overall aim is to provide a comprehensive, science-based framework for safety assessment of current and future nanomedicines.
About the Editor:
Bengt Fadeel is head of Unit of Molecular Toxicology at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm. He is also adjunct professor of environmental and occupational health of the Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh. He was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences (ATS) in the United States in 2012. Prof. Fadeel is a leading expert on the toxicological effects of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) with a particular interest in the interactions of nanomaterials with the immune system. This has considerable implications for the use of nanomaterials in medicine, for instance, for drug delivery or medical imaging. He is the editor of the recently published book Adverse Effects of Engineered Nanomaterials: Exposure, Toxicology and Impact on Human Health (Elsevier), which gives a comprehensive view of the health impact of ENMs. Currently, his research is focused on the beneficial applications, both diagnostic and therapeutic, of ENMs.
