Functional Hydrogels in Biomedicine

Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogels have emerged as indispensable biomaterials in modern medicine and as a new generation of functional materials, demonstrating revolutionary potential in medical applications such as controlled drug release, tissue regeneration, and wound repair. This Special Issue focuses on cutting-edge advances in biomedical gels, exploring their design, characterization, and therapeutic applications. We invite contributions on innovative synthesis methods (e.g., bioinspired crosslinking and 3D printing), structure–property relationships, and emerging applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and smart medical devices. Special emphasis will be given to stimuli-responsive systems, biocompatibility studies, and translational challenges. Of particular interest are innovations in:

• Smart gel systems responding to physiological stimuli (pH, temperature, enzymes);
• Advanced fabrication techniques including 3D bioprinting and microfluidic synthesis;
• Novel characterization methods for structure-property evaluation;
• Cutting-edge applications in targeted drug delivery, organ-on-chip systems, and bioactive wound dressings.

We invite researchers to contribute original research articles, reviews, and short communications that bridge fundamental science and real-world implementation. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, this Special Issue seeks to accelerate the development of aerogels for sustainable technologies and industrial scalability.

Dr. Peng Zhao
Dr. Shihong Shen
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.