Gene and Cell Therapy: Biology and Applications, 1st ed. 2018

Recent advances in stem cell biology, nanotechnology and gene therapy have opened new avenues for therapeutics. The availability of molecular therapeutics that rely on the delivery of DNA, RNA or proteins, harnessing enhanced delivery with nanoparticles, and the regenerative potential of stem cells (adult, embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells) has had a tremendous impact on translational medicine. The chapters in this book cover a range of strategies for molecular and cellular therapies for human disease, their advantages, and central challenges to their widespread application. Potential solutions to these issues are also discussed in detail.  Further, the book addresses numerous advances in the field of molecular therapeutics that will be of interest to the general scientific community. Lastly, the book provides specific examples of disease conditions for which these strategies have been transferred to the clinic. As such, it will be extremely useful for all students, researchers and clinicians working in the field of translational medicine and molecular therapeutics.

Chapter 1. Retroviral vectors in gene therapy.- Chapter 2. Adeno-associated virus vectors in gene therapy.- Chapter 3. Nanoparticle-mediated gene delivery.- Chapter 4. Viral/non-viral based hybrid vectors for gene therapy.- Chapter 5. Pharmaco-gene therapy: an alternate perspective.- Chapter 6. Aptamers - Novel molecules in therapeutics.- Chapter 7. Induced pluripotent stem cells.- Chapter 8. Hope or Hype: Stem cells as therapeutics in retinal degenerative diseases.- Chapter 9. Hematopoeitic stem cells: past, present and future.

Dr. Giridhara R. Jayandharan is currently working as an Associate Professor at Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India. Dr. Jayandharan completed his PhD from Christian Medical College, Vellore, India in the year 2006 and subsequently worked as post-doctoral fellow at University of Florida, Gainesville, USA between the year 2007-2009 where he worked extensively on Gene Therapy. Before joining the coveted Indian Institute of Technology, he worked as a faculty member in the Department of Hematology and also at Center for Stem Cell Research, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India. His main area of research includes Gene transfer and therapy, Human molecular genetics and Virology.

Dr. Jayandharan is a prolific publisher as he has over 60 papers in peer reviewed high quality journals. He is recipient of several awards and honors. Most notable awards received by him are; Wellcome Trust DBT senior fellowship, Swarnajayanthi fellowship from Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, Young scientist award, YIM Boston, USA; Senior Innovative Young Biotechnologist award, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India; Bayer Hemophilia Early Career Investigator Award, Bayer Inc, USA etc.