Polymeric Gene Delivery: Principles and Applications

To treat disease or correct genetic disorders using gene therapy, the most suitable vehicle must be able to deliver genes to the appropriate tissues and cells in the body in a specific as well as safe and effective manner. While viruses are the most popular vehicles to date, their disadvantages include toxicity, limited size of genes they can carry, and limited scale of industrial production. Polymeric Gene Delivery: Principles and Applications is the first comprehensive book to specifically address polymeric gene delivery systems. Uniting the expertise of international academic and industrial scientists who are working in the area of polymeric vectors for gene delivery, it is written by prominent researchers directly involved in this field. The book is divided into five sections that deal with challenges and opportunities in gene delivery and the efficient delivery of genes into somatic cells using polymeric vectors. The authors discuss using biodegradable polymers, condensing and non-condensing polymeric systems, microspheres and nanospheres, and designing specialized delivery systems based on targeting strategies. Polymeric Gene Delivery: Principles and Applications accentuates the versatility of polymeric delivery systems, including the potential for biocompatibility, the ability to design their formulation and geometry for a specific purpose, and the ease of modification to the surface of polymeric carriers. This book is an up-to-date guide for researchers in the field and those interested in entering this dynamic field.