Special issue featuring articles from the 4th Korea–China Symposium on Biomaterials and Nano-Biotechnology

This issue contains a selection of peer-reviewed articles that were presented during the 4th Korea–China Symposium on Biomaterials and Nano-Biotechnology held in the Seokwipo KAL Hotel, Jeju-Do, Korea on 19–24 October 2006. The symposium focused on the recent development of novel biomaterials and nano-biotechnologies related to medical industries with financial support from the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). With human health and welfare in mind, research on biomaterials and nano-biotechnology has been one of the fastest growing areas, combining interdisciplinary engineering and scientific bases underlying the development of new biomaterials, methodology and technology for clinical applications. In the near future, by developing novel biomaterials and biotechnology, the biomedical industries will be able to provide patients as well as medical doctors with more effective and safer devices and treatments for many clinical approaches. The newly emerging biomaterials and nano-biotechnologies will enable many engineers, scientists and clinicians to revolutionize medical devices and provide treatments specifically adapted to each individual disease. At the 4th Korea–China Symposium, scientifically distinguished speakers from Korea, China, Japan and the USA shared their experiences and knowledge about these emerging fields of biomaterials and nano-biotechnology. The topics covered mainly the areas of biopolymers, bioceramics, biometals, modification of biomaterials, tissue engineering, drug delivery and nano-biotechnology. We are grateful to all the authors for submitting their work to this special issue as well as to Professors F-Z Cui, I-S Lee and M Spector, the Editors-in-Chief of Biomedical Materials, for their contributions to the symposium. Through these continuing symposia we hope that the participating scientists will take further steps forward in the development of advanced biomaterials and nano-biosciences and technologies for both Korea and China, as well as enhancing the partnership between the two countries.