Design of Polymeric Platforms for Selective Biorecognition

This book addresses in an integrated manner all the critical aspects for building the next generation of biorecognition platforms - from biomolecular recognition to surface fabrication. The most recent strategies reported to create surface nano and micropatterns are thoroughly analyzed. This book contains descriptions of the types of molecules immobilized at surfaces that can be used for specific biorecognition, how to immobilize them, and how to control their arrangement and functionality at the surface. Small molecules, peptides, proteins and oligonucleotides are at the core of the biorecognition processes and will constitute a special part of this book. The authors include detailed information on biological processes, biomolecular screening, biosensing, diagnostic and detection devices, tissue engineering, development of biocompatible materials and biomedical devices.

Dr. Juan Rodríguez-Hernández is tenured scientist at the Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnologia de Polimeros (Madrid-Spain) since 2008. He obtained his PhD from the Max-Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany in 2003. He then joined the Laboratoire de Chimie des Polymères Organiques in Bordeaux France as post-doc and later as research fellow until 2008. His research interests include micro/nanostructuration of polymeric surfaces, the preparation of smart surfaces and the control of the interaction of surfaces with microorganisms.

Dr. Aitziber L. Cortajarena earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the Universidad del País Vasco in 2002. Then, she joined the group of Prof. L. Regan at Yale University, USA, as a Postdoctoral Fellow. She worked on protein design, structure, and function. She joined IMDEA Nanociencia as Group Leader in 2010 and started her independent research lines. Her research focuses on protein engineering for biotechnological applications and the generation of biofunctional nanostructures, surfaces, and bioinspired materials for applications in nano-biotechnology and nanomedicine.