Novel Hydrogels for Drug Delivery and Regenerative Medicine
A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Applications".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 540
Special Issue Editors
Interests: drug delivery systems; hydrogels; nano-targeted drug delivery technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: transdermal drug delivery; pulmonary drug delivery; nanocarrier; molecular pharmaceutics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Hydrogel-based systems have emerged as pivotal platforms in advancing drug delivery and regenerative medicine, owing to their unique biomimetic properties, tunable physicochemical characteristics, and exceptional biocompatibility. However, the design of hydrogels that simultaneously fulfill the complex demands of controlled drug release, mechanical robustness, cellular integration, and clinical translatability remains a significant multidisciplinary challenge. Recent innovations have explored stimuli-responsive networks, multifunctional composite architectures, 3D-bioprinted constructs, and spatially engineered microenvironments to enhance therapeutic precision and regenerative outcomes. Despite these promising developments, critical barriers continue to impede the full realization of hydrogel technologies in clinical practice.
This Special Issue seeks to highlight cutting-edge advances in the design, synthesis, functionalization, and application of next-generation hydrogel systems. We invite original research and reviews addressing advanced fabrication strategies (e.g., click chemistry, photopolymerization, 3D bioprinting), mechanisms of spatiotemporal drug release (e.g., targeted, sustained, or triggered delivery), integrated systems for combinatorial drug delivery and tissue regeneration (e.g., diabetic wounds, osteochondral defects, neural repair) and preclinical/clinical evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and biocompatibility. We welcome contributions that bridge fundamental material science with therapeutic applications, offering insights into overcoming existing limitations and accelerating the clinical adoption of hydrogel-based technologies.
This Special Issue is a joint Special Issue. Papers can be submitted to Gels or Pharmaceutics. Gels focus on physical (supramolecular) and chemical gel-based materials, while Pharmaceutics invites submissions related to drug delivery systems and innovative formulations.
Prof. Dr. Chuanbin Wu
Dr. Wenhao Wang
Dr. Jintao Fu
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. Gels 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 2100 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
- hydrogels
- drug delivery systems
- regenerative medicine
- therapeutics
- controlled release
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
