Innovations in Biomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications

A special issue of Bioengineering (ISSN 2306-5354). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2025 | Viewed by 614

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science Department, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
Interests: design and fabrication of biodegradable and active food packaging materials; utilization of natural biopolymers such as proteins and chitosan; development of biopolymer-based hybrid and nanocomposite films; engineering of smart packaging systems with moisture, oxygen, and microbial responsiveness; valorization of agricultural and food processing byproducts for packaging applications; application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in optimizing biopolymer formulation and predicting packaging performance
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Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, 4-10 Agriculture/Forestry Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada
Interests: synthesis of monomers; biopolymers; nano-engineered biopolymers; nano-biocomposites and bioconjugates from renewable resources for various applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are excited to announce a Special Issue on "Innovations in Biomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications", which aims to explore groundbreaking innovations in the intersection of biomaterials and medicine. This issue will showcase the latest developments in the design and application of biomaterials transforming the landscape of cancer treatment, wound care, and targeted drug delivery.

From nanoparticles to hydrogels, and from bioengineered scaffolds to immunomodulatory materials, this Special Issue will delve into how these advanced materials pave the way for more effective, personalized, and minimally invasive therapeutic strategies. By addressing key challenges such as tumor targeting, controlled drug release, and regenerative medicine, this collection of research promises to highlight the potential of biomaterials to revolutionize modern healthcare.

We invite contributions that reflect cutting-edge research, offering new insights into the various applications of biomaterials in improving therapeutic outcomes, reducing side effects, and enhancing patient care.

Key topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Novel biomaterials for targeted drug delivery and precision cancer therapies;
  • Advanced biomaterials for real-time wound imaging and diagnostics;
  • Bioengineered scaffolds promoting tissue regeneration and wound healing;
  • Immunomodulatory biomaterials for enhanced cancer immunotherapy;
  • Photothermal and photodynamic biomaterials for cancer treatment.

Dr. Muhammad Zubair
Dr. Aman Ullah
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • biomaterials
  • cancer treatment
  • wound care, cancer therapy
  • nanomedicine
  • drug delivery
  • tumor targeting
  • biocompatible materials
  • theranostics
  • immunotherapy
  • drug-release systems

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 7327 KiB  
Article
Formulation and Evaluation of Licorice-Extract-Enhanced Chitosan, PVA, and Gelatin-Derived Hydrogels for Wound Dressing
by Maria Mujahid, Muhammad Zubair, Asma Yaqoob, Sohail Shahzad and Aman Ullah
Bioengineering 2025, 12(5), 439; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering12050439 - 23 Apr 2025
Viewed by 274
Abstract
Wound infections remain a significant clinical challenge, impeding healing and causing deterioration. Recently, multifunctional hydrogel dressings have gained interest as an effective treatment to treat infections efficiently and enhance wound recovery. The present research is focused on the development of composite hydrogels comprising [...] Read more.
Wound infections remain a significant clinical challenge, impeding healing and causing deterioration. Recently, multifunctional hydrogel dressings have gained interest as an effective treatment to treat infections efficiently and enhance wound recovery. The present research is focused on the development of composite hydrogels comprising chitosan (CS), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), gelatin (GEL) and licorice extract (LE), using the freeze gelation technique. The resulting composite hydrogels of CS/PVA/GEL incorporating LE were characterized by FTIR, XRD and SEM. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of specific functional groups within the molecules. XRD exhibited the amorphous nature of hydrogels. SEM analysis revealed that increasing the CS ratio in hydrogels created a more porous structure with a smaller pore size. All the hydrogels demonstrated oxygen permeability, which is crucial for the healing process. Among the synthesized hydrogels, MM-2 containing PVA (20 mL) and LE (4 mL) demonstrated superior performance with a water retention capacity of 440% and moisture content of 91%. This exceptional result can be attributed to the higher proportion of PVA and the material’s porous structure, which enhances its hydrophilic properties. The synthesized hydrogels showed good antibacterial potential against three selected strains of bacteria including Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). The hydrogels’ cytotoxicity levels were assessed through hemolysis assay and the results demonstrated that all hydrogels were non-toxic. The hydrolytic breakdown revealed that the interconnected hydrogels with licorice components exhibited slow degradation, making them more appropriate for long-term wound treatment. Specifically, MM-4 demonstrated a 74% degradation rate and displayed 75% antioxidant activity, indicating its potential effectiveness for chronic wound applications. These characteristics of synthesized CS/PVA/GEL/LE-derived hydrogels suggest their potential use as a promising candidate for wound care applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Biomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications)
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