Guest Editorial.

Over the past few years a significant growth of research involving the utilization of RF/microwave technologies in healthcare applications has been taking place. This "Special Issue on Biomedical Applications of RF/Microwave Technologies" is proof. Encouraged by funding from government agencies and private sources, and recognizing the emerging opportunities offered by high-frequency electronics and novel sensing technologies for advancing healthcare, researchers from various engineering disciplines have directed their interests to applications involving biological science and clinical medicine. The increase in RF/microwave-related activities targeting medical or biological problems is noticeable within the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (IEEE MTT-S) community and beyond. These activities are broad in their scopes and involve multiple disciplines. They range from therapeutic, diagnostic, remote monitoring, and imaging applications of microwave technologies in clinical settings, as well as those involving sensing and communication over or through body tissues, where physiological or biochemical information are transmitted wirelessly, to the biological effects of these applications, in which the interaction of microwaves with tissues and living systems should be understood and manipulated. In addition, RF/microwave now serves as one of the key enabling technologies in innovative healthcare delivery and telemedicine. Three papers are on exposure systems for bioelectromagnetic research. Nine papers present radar-based systems for vital sign monitoring and object imaging. The remaining two radar papers focus on cancer detection by imaging. The Special Issue features papers from the US, UK, Japan, Korea, Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Malaysia, Belgium, Germany, China, and France, indicating global efforts utilizing RF/microwave innovation for healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]