Innovations in Application of Biofunctional Hydrogels
A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Analysis and Characterization".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 February 2026 | Viewed by 570
Special Issue Editors
Interests: hydrogel; tissue engineering; flexible electronics; biomaterial; wound healing; skin
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Biofunctional hydrogels have emerged as a transformative class of materials with tunable physicochemical properties and dynamic bioactivity, enabling their widespread application in diverse fields, such as biomedicine, tissue engineering, drug delivery, and soft bioelectronics. Their ability to mimic the extracellular matrix, respond to physiological stimuli, and interact intelligently with living systems makes them highly attractive for next-generation biomedical technologies. This Special Issue aims to highlight recent innovations in the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of biofunctional hydrogels. We place particular emphasis on their functional integration into complex biological environments, such as dynamic tissue interfaces, wound sites, and implantable devices. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, smart and responsive hydrogels, bioprintable and injectable hydrogels, hydrogel-based biosensors, and systems for targeted therapy or regenerative medicine. We welcome original research articles and comprehensive reviews that showcase interdisciplinary advances, spanning materials science, bioengineering, chemistry, and medicine. By collecting cutting-edge contributions, this Special Issue seeks to deepen our understanding of structure–property–function relationships and to inspire innovative strategies for engineering advanced hydrogel-based platforms with enhanced performance, biocompatibility, and clinical potential.
Dr. Yannan Liu
Dr. Yingchun Li
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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
- hydrogel
- biofunctional
- tissue engineering
- biomedical applications
- soft electronics
- biomaterial
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.
