This volume comes from manuscriptscontributed by invited speakers to the NATO AdvancedStudyInstitute on Biopolymers, which was held in Izmir, during August 27th - September 5th, 1984. Many more detailshave been added to the manuscripts as a resultof the interchange of ideas during the symposium. This book includes 16 papers which were originallypresented at the meeting by some of the world'sforemostinvestigators. In this volume, the existing basic knowledgeacross the wholefieldof polymericbiomaterials is reviewed.Classification, structure, composition, synthesis, modification and fabrication of these novel materialsis included in detail. Fundamental phenomena involved in the interactionof polymers with the biological environmentand resultingresponses of blood and tissue components are discussed. Modification of polymers physically, chemicallyor biochemically, in order to improve their biocompatibility is included. Selected applications of polymeric biomaterialsin Medicine, Dentistry, Biotechnology, Pharmacology and otherrelated fieldsarealsocovered. We stronglyhope thatthis book will be agreatcontribution to the rapidly expanding field of biomaterialsand willhelp to stimulate an even more excitingfuturefor th is field. ErhanPiskin AllanS. Hoffman VI ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS NATO Advanced Study Institute on "Biopolymers" was held in Izmir during August 27th - September 5th, 1984. I would like to ex- press my deepest appreciation and gratitude to NATO Scientific Affairs Division, that our meeting has been accepted as a NATO ASI, and has been supported by their programmes. I wish to thank also to all the other supporting firms and organizations, especially to Hacettepe University and Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Council.
