These two volumes provide a comprehensive review of the synthesis, characterization, processing, and applications of biodegradable polymers. It is intended for a broad audience of scientists and engineers and focuses on the areas of polymeric biomaterials, biomedical engineering, food science and nutrition, and green engineering. Volume one contains 10 chapters which cover the structure and synthesis of materials, including renewable plastics, biodegradable foams, lactide copolymers, biodegradable polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites, edible films and coatings based on protein resources, green polymers, polyphosphazenes, chitin and chitosan derivatives, and polyanhydrides. Volume two contains 12 chapters covering applications, including drug delivery, single-dose vaccines, protein stabilization, gene therapy, tissue engineering, orthopedics, and food packaging. Specific topics include combinatorial methods for the high-throughput characterization and screening of biodegradable polymers; natural origin degradable polymers in biomedical applications; thermoplastic starch as a biodegradable matrix for encapsulation and controlled release; gene therapy for tissue regeneration; biodegradable polymers in neural tissue engineering; synthesis and characterization of injectable and biodegradable composites for orthopedic applications; and bioabsorbable plate and screw fixation in craniomaxillofacial surgery. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)