Nano-Oncologicals ― Targeting and Delivery Approaches

This authoritative volume focuses on emerging technologies in cancer nano medicine, characterized by their multi-functionality and potential to address simultaneously diverse issues of clinical relevance in the treatment of cancer. The book consists of sixteen chapters divided into six sections: 1) Biological Barriers in Cancer; 2) Tumor Targeting; 3) Targeting the Immune System; 4) Gene Therapy; 5) Nano theranostics and 6) Translational Aspects of Nano-Oncologicals. The volume starts with an introduction describing the biological barriers associated with cancer therapy and highlighting ways to overcome such barriers through the use of nanotechnology. This is followed by an analysis of the two major targeting strategies currently under investigation in cancer therapy: namely, the targeting of cancer cells and the targeting of the immune system. In the first case, the book presents liposomal and polymer-based therapies, including photodynamic approaches. In the second case, it analyzes in detail the possibility of either improving the efficiency of the immune system toward preventing cancer progression (cancer immunomodulation) or generating responses against specific cancer antigens (cancer vaccines).

Beyond these targeting options, Nano-Oncologicals: New Targeting and Delivery Approaches presents the most recent technological advances in the area of nucleic acid-based therapies, along with those in the area of theranostics, where the design of multifunctional nano carriers becomes vital. Following the study of the most promising nanotechnologies around the development of nano-oncologicals, the book ends with an overview of regulatory and toxicological issues, which are critical in their translational pathway, and the presentation of a nucleic acid-based therapy case-study. This book is an important resource for scientists interested in the design and development of anticancer nanotechnologies and also to those aiming to push their technology through clinical development.

Maria Jose Alonso is Professor of Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) in Spain. She has made critical contributions to the design of novel nanostructures for the targeted delivery of drugs and vaccines and to the understanding of the interaction of nanoparticles with biological barriers. She is part of the scientific boards of a number of societies and the executive board of the Controlled Release Society. She is also a member of the editorial board of eight prestigious journals in the field of drug delivery.

Marcos Garcia-Fuentes is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy at Spain’s University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), where he also obtained his Ph.D. He was a visiting scholar at Purdue University in Indiana, USA and a Marie Curie postdoctoral scientist at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. He was recognized with a competitive contract from the regional government for the reintegration of excellent researchers. Marcos has work in the design of biomaterials and nanostructures for medical applications. His current focus is on nanomedicines and biomaterials for modulating progenitor cells and cancer stem cells.