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Biomolecules
Special Issues
Applications of Biomaterials in Medicine and Healthcare
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Applications of Biomaterials in Medicine and Healthcare

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 10795

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Patrícia Alves

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Guest Editor
CEMMPRE, ARISE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Luís Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: surface modification; smart materials; drug delivery; biomaterials; polymers; liposomes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Paula Ferreira

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Guest Editor
Applied Research Institute, Polytechnic University of Coimbra, Rua da Misericórdia, Lagar dos Cortiços—S. Martinho do Bispo, 3045-093 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: polymeric materials; biomaterials; tissue engineering; wound healing; drug delivery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biomaterials have revolutionized medicine and healthcare, being the basis for advancements in diagnostics, treatment, and patient care. These materials, engineered to interact with biological systems, play a critical role in repairing, replacing, and enhancing biological functions. From orthopedic implants and cardiovascular stents to drug delivery systems and tissue engineering scaffolds, biomaterials fill the gap between biology and technology, enabling innovative solutions for complex medical challenges.

Their versatility arises from a wide range of materials, including metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites, tailored to meet specific biological and mechanical requirements. Emerging fields, such as regenerative medicine and nanomedicine, are further expanding the horizons of biomaterials, promising personalized therapies and improved patient outcomes.

This Special Issue explores the multifaceted applications of biomaterials, highlighting their impact on modern healthcare and their potential to shape the future of medicine.

Dr. Patrícia Alves
Dr. Paula Ferreira
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomolecules is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biomaterials
  • tissue engineering
  • biomedical applications
  • drug delivery systems
  • medical implants

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 5704 KB  
Article
Magnetic Nanocarriers with ICPTES- and GPTMS-Functionalized Quaternary Chitosan for pH-Responsive Doxorubicin Release
by Sofia F. Soares, Ana L. M. Machado, Beatriz S. Cardoso, Diogo Marinheiro, Nelson Andrade, Fátima Martel and Ana L. Daniel-da-Silva
Biomolecules 2026, 16(1), 137; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom16010137 - 13 Jan 2026
Viewed by 534
Abstract
Smart nanocarriers are being increasingly explored to improve the performance selectivity of cancer chemotherapy. Here, two pH-responsive magnetic nanocarriers were developed using quaternary chitosan (HTCC) functionalized with 3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl isocyanate- ICPTES (MNP-HTCC1) or 3-(glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane-GPTMS (MNP-HTCC2) to form hybrid silica shells on Fe3O [...] Read more.
Smart nanocarriers are being increasingly explored to improve the performance selectivity of cancer chemotherapy. Here, two pH-responsive magnetic nanocarriers were developed using quaternary chitosan (HTCC) functionalized with 3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl isocyanate- ICPTES (MNP-HTCC1) or 3-(glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane-GPTMS (MNP-HTCC2) to form hybrid silica shells on Fe3O4 cores. The resulting core–shell nanoparticles (14.5 and 12.5 nm) displayed highly positive zeta potentials (+45.4 to +27.1 mV, pH 4.2–9.5), confirming successful HTCC incorporation and strong colloidal stability. Both nanocarriers achieved high doxorubicin (DOX) loading at pH 9.5, reaching 90% efficiency and a capacity of 154 µg DOX per mg. DOX release was pH-dependent, with faster release under acidic conditions relevant to tumor and endo-lysosomal environments. At pH 4.2, MNP-HTCC1 released 90% of DOX over 72 h, while MNP-HTCC2 released 79%. Release at pH 5.0 was intermediate (67–72%), and moderate at physiological pH (43–55%). All formulations showed an initial burst followed by sustained release. Kinetic modelling (Weibull) indicated a diffusion-controlled mechanism consistent with Fickian transport through the HTCC–silica matrix. Cytotoxicity assays using MCF-7 breast cancer cells revealed greater cytotoxicity for DOX-loaded nanocarriers compared with free DOX, with MNP-HTCC1 showing the strongest effect. Overall, these HTCC-based magnetic nanocarriers offer efficient loading, controlled pH-triggered DOX release, and enhanced therapeutic performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Biomaterials in Medicine and Healthcare)
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15 pages, 1807 KB  
Article
Gold Nanoparticles-Enhanced Gene Transfer Driven by MHz-Frequency Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields
by Veronika Malyško-Ptašinskė, Eivina Radzevičiūtė-Valčiukė, Anna Szewczyk, Barbora Lekešytė, Paulina Malakauskaitė, Eglė Mickevičiūtė-Zinkuvienė, Augustinas Želvys, Natalija German, Julita Kulbacka and Vitalij Novickij
Biomolecules 2025, 15(12), 1736; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15121736 - 13 Dec 2025
Viewed by 545
Abstract
Electroporation can be used as an effective non-viral gene delivery method, while the application of conductive nanoparticles (NPs) with pulsed electric fields (PEFs) may increase treatment efficacy due to local field amplification in close proximity to the cell plasma membrane. In this work, [...] Read more.
Electroporation can be used as an effective non-viral gene delivery method, while the application of conductive nanoparticles (NPs) with pulsed electric fields (PEFs) may increase treatment efficacy due to local field amplification in close proximity to the cell plasma membrane. In this work, we have employed 100 ns and 300 ns pulses (9–17 kV/cm), which were delivered in bursts (n = 100) and predefined inter-pulse delays (100–900 ns), which enabled successful gene delivery (4.7 kbp; p-EGFP-N1) using pulses as short as 100 ns, which previously was considered impossible. As a model, a murine breast cancer cell line (4T1) was used. It was shown that sub-microsecond pulses (i.e., 300 ns) can be effective for gene delivery, whereas 100 ns pulses are several-fold inferior, yet still trigger successful gene transfer (>10% of cells being electrotransfected). In order to increase the efficacy of the treatment, we used gold nanoparticles (AuNPs; the diameter of 13 nm), which allowed us to achieve electrotransfection efficacy several-fold for both sub-microsecond and microsecond protocols (1.2 kV/cm × 100 µs × 8 pulses at 1 Hz). The results suggest high potential applicability of conductive nanoparticles in future translational or clinical research involving electroporation and gene transfer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Biomaterials in Medicine and Healthcare)
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13 pages, 6821 KB  
Article
Rapid In Situ Coating of Covered Stents with Highly Tough, Biocompatible Membrane for Emergency Coronary Artery Perforation
by Yuan Ji, Mingyue Fan, Bing Li, Guolin Gao and Zaixing Jiang
Biomolecules 2025, 15(11), 1608; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15111608 - 17 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 669
Abstract
Covered stents have made a significant contribution to managing coronary artery perforation (CAP). Biocompatibility and toughness are critical properties for the covering membrane of covered stents. The mismatch between covered stents and patient coronary arteries in the clinic restricts the application of covered [...] Read more.
Covered stents have made a significant contribution to managing coronary artery perforation (CAP). Biocompatibility and toughness are critical properties for the covering membrane of covered stents. The mismatch between covered stents and patient coronary arteries in the clinic restricts the application of covered stents for emergency CAP. The ability to rapidly in situ coating of the stent at the rescue scene has so far been elusive, especially for small-diameter coronary artery covered stents. Here, we investigate a rapid coating technology of covered stents with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/dibutyl phthalate (DBP) covering membrane for CAP. The highly tough membrane and the short coating timeframe make it possible to prepare the covered stent suitable for patients with emergency CAP. In vitro cell assays demonstrated the excellent biocompatibility of the covering membrane. Moreover, in vivo evaluation in a rabbit model demonstrated successful delivery of the covered stent through the sheath system and effective sealing of vascular perforation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Biomaterials in Medicine and Healthcare)
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32 pages, 20583 KB  
Article
Application of Prodigiosin Extracts in Textile Dyeing and Novel Printing Processes for Halochromic and Antimicrobial Wound Dressings
by Cátia Alves, Pedro Soares-Castro, Rui D. V. Fernandes, Adriana Pereira, Rui Rodrigues, Ana Rita Fonseca, Nuno C. Santos and Andrea Zille
Biomolecules 2025, 15(8), 1113; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15081113 - 1 Aug 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1975
Abstract
The textile industry’s reliance on synthetic dyes contributes significantly to pollution, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives like biopigments. This study investigates the production and application of the biopigment prodigiosin, which was produced by Pseudomonas putida with a yield of 1.85 g/L. Prodigiosin [...] Read more.
The textile industry’s reliance on synthetic dyes contributes significantly to pollution, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives like biopigments. This study investigates the production and application of the biopigment prodigiosin, which was produced by Pseudomonas putida with a yield of 1.85 g/L. Prodigiosin was prepared under acidic, neutral, and alkaline conditions, resulting in varying protonation states that influenced its affinity for cotton and polyester fibers. Three surfactants (anionic, cationic, non-ionic) were tested, with non-ionic Tween 80 yielding a promising color strength (above 4) and fastness results with neutral prodigiosin at 1.3 g/L. Cotton and polyester demonstrated good washing (color difference up to 14 for cotton, 5 for polyester) and light fastness (up to 15 for cotton, 16 for polyester). Cellulose acetate, used in the conventional printing process as a thickener, produced superior color properties compared to commercial thickeners. Neutral prodigiosin achieved higher color strength, and cotton fabrics displayed halochromic properties, distinguishing them from polyester, which showed excellent fastness. Prodigiosin-printed samples also exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and retained halochromic properties over 10 pH cycles. These findings suggest prodigiosin as a sustainable dye alternative and pH sensor, with potential applications in biomedical materials, such as antimicrobial and pH-responsive wound dressings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Biomaterials in Medicine and Healthcare)
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Review

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23 pages, 2272 KB  
Review
Bio-Based Polyurethane Foams: Feedstocks, Synthesis, and Applications
by Marta Santos, Marcos Mariz, Igor Tiago, Susana Alarico and Paula Ferreira
Biomolecules 2025, 15(5), 680; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15050680 - 7 May 2025
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6279
Abstract
Polyurethanes (PUs) are extremely versatile materials used across different industries. Traditionally, they are synthesized by reacting polyols and isocyanates, both of which are petroleum-derived reagents. In response to the demand for more eco-friendly materials, research has increasingly focused on developing new routes for [...] Read more.
Polyurethanes (PUs) are extremely versatile materials used across different industries. Traditionally, they are synthesized by reacting polyols and isocyanates, both of which are petroleum-derived reagents. In response to the demand for more eco-friendly materials, research has increasingly focused on developing new routes for PU synthesis using renewable feedstocks. While substituting isocyanates remains a greater challenge, replacing fossil-based polyols with bio-based alternatives is now a promising strategy. This review explores the main natural sources and their transformations into bio-polyols, the incorporation of bio-fillers into PU formulations, and the production of non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs). Additionally, the study summarizes the growing body of research that has reported successful outcomes using bio-polyols in PU foams for distinct applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Biomaterials in Medicine and Healthcare)
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