Preface
In this monographic book, my chapter authors and I have tried to illustrate that
aptamers, as novel molecular interactive elements, have been successively developed
into promising diagnosis and therapy tools for medical applications.
In Chap. 1, aptamers and various SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by
Exponential enrichment) strategies are outlined. To demonstrate comprehensively
the aptamers with multi-facets and potential versatility in medical applications,
Chaps. 2–7 are aptamer-based probes for molecular imaging, aptamer-based point-ofcare testing schemes, aptamer-based drug delivery systems, aptamer-based medical
devices, aptamer for targeted therapy, and aptamers for personalized therapeutics,
respectively.
As an emphasis of the robust diagnosis tool for early medical intervention
and favorable prognosis of most common and some critical illnesses, Chaps. 8–
12 describe aptamers for the diagnosis of infectious diseases, malign tumors,
aptamers for thrombotic diseases, hormone aptamers in endocrine-related diseases,
and aptamers for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, respectively. In
Chap. 13, some frontier aptamer technologies of medical significance, e.g., native
Mass spectrometry, microfluidic/nanofluidic biochips, are introduced as well. To
conclude, Chap. 14 depicts the merits/demerits and perspectives of aptamers for
future medical applications.
I hope both experienced physicians and novice medical investigators will find this
book useful, and I acknowledge herein all my chapter coauthors and the support by
Joint Project of BRC-BC (Biomedical Translational Engineering Research Center
of BUCT-CJFH) (RZ2020-02) with great appreciation and gratitude.
Beijing, P. R. China
October 2020
Yiyang Dong
vii
In this monographic book, my chapter authors and I have tried to illustrate that
aptamers, as novel molecular interactive elements, have been successively developed
into promising diagnosis and therapy tools for medical applications.
In Chap. 1, aptamers and various SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by
Exponential enrichment) strategies are outlined. To demonstrate comprehensively
the aptamers with multi-facets and potential versatility in medical applications,
Chaps. 2–7 are aptamer-based probes for molecular imaging, aptamer-based point-ofcare testing schemes, aptamer-based drug delivery systems, aptamer-based medical
devices, aptamer for targeted therapy, and aptamers for personalized therapeutics,
respectively.
As an emphasis of the robust diagnosis tool for early medical intervention
and favorable prognosis of most common and some critical illnesses, Chaps. 8–
12 describe aptamers for the diagnosis of infectious diseases, malign tumors,
aptamers for thrombotic diseases, hormone aptamers in endocrine-related diseases,
and aptamers for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, respectively. In
Chap. 13, some frontier aptamer technologies of medical significance, e.g., native
Mass spectrometry, microfluidic/nanofluidic biochips, are introduced as well. To
conclude, Chap. 14 depicts the merits/demerits and perspectives of aptamers for
future medical applications.
I hope both experienced physicians and novice medical investigators will find this
book useful, and I acknowledge herein all my chapter coauthors and the support by
Joint Project of BRC-BC (Biomedical Translational Engineering Research Center
of BUCT-CJFH) (RZ2020-02) with great appreciation and gratitude.
Beijing, P. R. China
October 2020
Yiyang Dong
vii