Mechanobiology in Biomedical Engineering—2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

Advances in mechanobiology research continue to shape our understanding of how physical forces and mechanical properties influence biological processes in living organisms. Mechanobiology has significant implications for various fields. For instance, researchers incorporate mechanical cues into scaffold design and culture environments that promote the growth and differentiation of cells to form functional tissues. Understanding how mechanical forces influence cancer progression, metastasis, and response to treatment can lead to the development of novel cancer therapies and diagnostics. In orthopedics, mechanobiology research on bone and articular cartilage is crucial for developing treatments for osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. The knowledge of how mechanical forces affect neuronal development, axon guidance, and neural regeneration is also valuable for understanding neurodegenerative diseases and developing neural implants and tissue engineering approaches for spinal cord injuries. Furthermore, mechanobiology has influenced drug discovery efforts by identifying mechanosensitive drug targets and developing screening assays that incorporate mechanical cues. In summary, mechanobiology has diverse applications across the fields of biology, medicine, and engineering. Its interdisciplinary approach allows researchers to gain insights into the complex interactions between mechanical forces and biological systems, leading to advancements in healthcare, tissue engineering, and our overall understanding of life processes. In this Special Issue, all original research articles and reviews about mechanobiology in the following areas are welcome:

• Articular Cartilage—chondrocyte response to compression, joint loading, ECM maintenance;
• Intervertebral Disks—nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus mechanobiology, degeneration under altered load;
• Bone—remodeling in response to load, osteocyte mechanosensing;
• Muscle—hypertrophy/atrophy, force transmission, regeneration;
• Heart and Vessels—shear stress in endothelium, myocardial stiffness;
• Lung—alveolar stretch, fibrosis, ventilation-induced injury;
• Brain/Nervous System—stretch injury, stiffness in development and disease;
• Stem Cells/Organoids—lineage decisions, matrix elasticity, morphogenesis;
• Cancer—tumor stiffness, migration in stiff matrices, mechanosensitive pathways;
• Dental/Periodontal Tissues—ligament adaptation, implant remodeling;
• Skin/Epithelium—wound healing, barrier function under strain;
• Liver/Kidney—fibrosis, tubular stretch, pressure sensing;
• Tissue Engineering Applications—Mechanobiology guides the design of biomaterials, scaffolds, and bioreactors by mimicking or applying physiological mechanical cues to promote functional tissue formation.

The publications in the first volume, which we believe may be of interest to you, can be found here:

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/bioengineering/special_issues/2TZ65E84KS.

Dr. Chun-Yuh Huang
Guest Editor

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