Current Trends and Future Developments on (Bio-) Membranes: Membrane Processes in the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnological Field

Current Trends and Future Developments on (Bio-) Membranes: Membrane Processes in the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnological field presents the main membrane techniques along with their basic principles, mode of operations, and applications. It covers well-known techniques such as ultrafiltration and membrane chromatography, while also exploring emerging membrane technologies which are finding their way in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, including membrane emulsification, membrane bioreactors, and solvent-resistant nanofiltration. State-of-the-art applications of membrane systems in areas such as drug delivery and virus removal are also investigated by leading experts in the field.

Current Trends and Future Developments on (Bio-) Membranes: Membrane Processes in the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnological field is a definitive reference for academics, post-graduates, and researchers in the subjects of biochemical engineering, pharmaceutics, and biotechnology. It is also useful to R&D companies and institutions in these areas, specifically those interested in bioseparations, biopurification, bioproduction, and drug delivery.

• Offers an overview of classical membrane-based separation techniques such as ultrafiltration, microfiltration and virus filtration
• Discusses emerging membrane-based separation techniques such as nofiltration in the presence of solvent, membrane emulsification and membrane crystallization
• Outlines their applications to bioseparation, biopurification and bioproduction
• Includes examples in the production of vaccines, antibiotics, biomolecules, drugs, DNA and cells
• Lists membranes systems for drug delivery like liposomes, nanocapsules and bilayer membranes

Angelo Basile is a Full Professor and a leading authority in membrane science and technology. Since 2014, he has served as Full Professor in Systems, Methods and Technologies of Chemical Engineering Processes at CNR-ITM in Rende, Italy. His work covers hydrogen purification and production using membrane reactors, CO₂ capture, process intensification, and the treatment of industrial effluents with advanced membrane operations. Basile has edited many scientific books and authored numerous book chapters, bridging complex research with clear knowledge for engineers and scientists. Motivated by the role of AI/ML in accelerating membrane process design and automation, he supports integrating data-driven methods for smart plants and reaction–separation optimisation.

Catherine Charcosset got her PhD from Compiègne University (France) and then spent 2 years as a postdoctoral fellow at MIT (Boston, USA). She was appointed research scientist at CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France) first as a junior and then as a senior scientist. Her field of research concerns membrane and membrane processes, especially in biotechnology and pharmaceutics as well as for drinking water treatment. Catherine Charcosset has been (or is) responsible for several national and international projects on membrane and membrane processes. She has supervised 15 PhD students and 20 Master students and has published over 100 papers and chapters in international journals and books, and 3 patents. She is the author of one book “Membrane Processes in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutics” published by Elsevier in 2012. She is co-editor with Angelo Basile of another book “Integrated Membrane Systems and Processes” published by Wiley in 2016.