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Gels
Special Issues
Hydrogels: Properties and Application in Biomedicine
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Hydrogels: Properties and Application in Biomedicine

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Processing and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2026 | Viewed by 942

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Martina Lenzuni

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Electronics, Computer and Telecommunication Engineering (IEIIT)—National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 16163 Genoa, Italy
Interests: biomaterials; nanotechnology; tissue regeneration; EMF for health; cell–material interactions; stimuli-responsive materials; computational material science; hydrogel
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Salvatore Gallo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Univeristà di Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: applied physics; medical physics; dosimetry; material sciences
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogels represent a rapidly evolving class of biomaterials that combine structural versatility with high biocompatibility. Their ability to absorb and retain large amounts of water, mimic the extracellular matrix, and be functionalized with biological or synthetic cues makes them highly attractive for applications in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, wound healing, drug delivery, and biosensing. The past decade has witnessed remarkable progress in the development of smart hydrogels, including injectable and stimuli-responsive systems, which can interact dynamically with biological environments or be activated by external triggers.

This Special Issue aims to gather cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews that address both fundamental aspects and translational potential of hydrogels in biomedicine. By bringing together experimental, theoretical, and computational perspectives, we intend to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and highlight innovative strategies for clinical translation.

In this Special Issue, we welcome original research articles and reviews that cover, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • Design and synthesis of novel hydrogels for tissue engineering applications;
  • Smart hydrogels for controlled drug delivery in regenerative medicine;
  • Stimuli-responsive hydrogels activated by ultrasound, electromagnetic fields, or other external factors;
  • Hydrogels in 3D bioprinting and scaffold development;
  • Injectable hydrogels for regenerative therapies;
  • Mechanistic studies of hydrogel degradation and bio-resorption;
  • Application of hydrogels in wound healing and skin regeneration;
  • Hydrogel-based microenvironments for stem cell differentiation and tissue regeneration;
  • Computational modelling and simulation of hydrogel behaviour in biological environments.

Dr. Martina Lenzuni
Dr. Salvatore Gallo
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
  • biomedical applications
  • stimuli-responsive materials
  • tissue engineering
  • computational modelling

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 5358 KB  
Article
Engineering Thermoresponsive In Situ Gels Incorporating Nutraceutical-Laden Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for Controlled Periodontal Drug Release
by Rabia Ashfaq, Anita Kovács, Szilvia Berkó, Gábor Katona, Rita Ambrus, Tamás Ferenc Polgár, Mária Szécsényi, Katalin Burián and Mária Budai-Szűcs
Gels 2026, 12(4), 268; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12040268 - 24 Mar 2026
Viewed by 150
Abstract
Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease marked by the progressive destruction of periodontal tissues, where conventional therapies often fail to maintain adequate drug levels at the target site. This study reports the development and characterization of a thermosensitive gel containing nanostructured lipid carriers [...] Read more.
Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease marked by the progressive destruction of periodontal tissues, where conventional therapies often fail to maintain adequate drug levels at the target site. This study reports the development and characterization of a thermosensitive gel containing nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) for controlled local periodontal delivery. Apigenin (AP)-loaded NLC were prepared using AP as active agent and clove essential oil (CEO) as liquid lipid subsequently incorporated into Poloxamer 407 (5–15% w/w) hydrogels. The formulations were evaluated in relation to particle size, morphology, thermal and rheological behavior, mucoadhesion, in vitro release, antibacterial activity, and stability. Optimized nanoscale NLC showed a high entrapment efficiency, and uniform morphology. Raman analysis confirmed successful AP incorporation and homogeneous distribution in the gel without incompatibility. NLC-loaded gels exhibited sol–gel transition at physiological temperature with improved viscoelasticity and enhanced mucoadhesion. The drug release was sustained for 48 h and followed the Korsmeyer–Peppas model, indicating diffusion-based and anomalous transport. The antibacterial assessment demonstrated the pronounced inhibitory activity of the NLC formulations against key periodontal pathogens, with the formulation-dependent modulation of antimicrobial efficacy observed following the gel incorporation. Stability studies showed preserved nanoparticle structure and uniform dispersion. Overall, the thermoresponsive NLC-hydrogel system offers a promising strategy for prolonged, localized periodontal therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogels: Properties and Application in Biomedicine)
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18 pages, 3767 KB  
Article
Formulation and 3D Printing of Collagen/Chitosan Inks: Tailoring the Scaffold Properties
by Teresa Carranza, Mireia Andonegui, Raquel Hernáez, Ana Aiastui, Yi Zhang, Koro de la Caba and Pedro Guerrero
Gels 2026, 12(3), 261; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12030261 - 21 Mar 2026
Viewed by 191
Abstract
The development of inks with suitable rheological, physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties is crucial for the successful fabrication of functional scaffolds via extrusion-based 3D printing. In this study, collagen/chitosan hydrogels with varying polymer ratios were developed and characterized to evaluate their printability and [...] Read more.
The development of inks with suitable rheological, physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties is crucial for the successful fabrication of functional scaffolds via extrusion-based 3D printing. In this study, collagen/chitosan hydrogels with varying polymer ratios were developed and characterized to evaluate their printability and suitability for cartilage tissue engineering. Rheological analyses revealed that all samples exhibited shear-thinning behavior and solid-like viscoelasticity, with the formulation of an 80:20 COL/CHI ratio (20CHI) demonstrating optimal filament formation and dimensional stability. Physicochemical analyses confirmed the preservation of the collagen triple helix and the formation of hydrogen bonding between chitosan and collagen. 20CHI scaffolds showed swelling capacity and high cohesiveness. In vitro studies confirmed the cytocompatibility of the scaffolds with murine fibroblasts and the ability of the scaffolds to promote adhesion, proliferation, and extracellular matrix production of both chondrocytes and adipogenic mesenchymal stem cells (aMSCs). Quantification of sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) indicated sustained matrix deposition over 28 days, particularly by chondrocytes. These findings demonstrate that 20CHI hydrogel is a promising candidate for 3D printing of biomimetic scaffolds for cartilage regeneration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogels: Properties and Application in Biomedicine)
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Review

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23 pages, 3918 KB  
Review
Scoping Review of the Biomedical Investigations of Cellulose Nanocrystal-Based Hydrogels: A Critical Analysis of Current Evidence, Research Gaps and Future Perspectives
by Dinuki M. Seneviratne, Eliza J. Whiteside, Louisa C. E. Windus, Paulomi (Polly) Burey, Raelene Ward and Pratheep K. Annamalai
Gels 2026, 12(3), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12030207 - 28 Feb 2026
Viewed by 313
Abstract
Hydrogel-based products are used in many areas of biomedicine and healthcare. Recently, the incorporation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), a renewable and functional nanomaterial, into hydrogels has enhanced their functionality, particularly by imparting mechanical strength and structural integrity. This scoping review aims to appraise [...] Read more.
Hydrogel-based products are used in many areas of biomedicine and healthcare. Recently, the incorporation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), a renewable and functional nanomaterial, into hydrogels has enhanced their functionality, particularly by imparting mechanical strength and structural integrity. This scoping review aims to appraise the types of biomedical models and assays that have been utilised to investigate the effects of CNC incorporation into hydrogels in tissue engineering, wound healing, medical implantation and drug delivery applications, and reports on the rationale for including these models and assays. A structured literature search was undertaken in major scientific databases (PubMed Central, PubMed, BioMed Central, ScienceDirect, Wiley and EBSCOhost), focusing on identifying primary research published between 2016 and 2024. From this process, fifteen studies providing biomedical analyses met the inclusion criteria. Most of these investigations employed in vitro cell-line models (n = 12), with a smaller number utilising in vivo experimental systems (n = 5). Across the included studies, CNC incorporation typically yielded measurable performance gains: reported compressive or storage modulus improvements of 20–40% over hydrogel-only controls, consistently high cell viability (>85%) across multiple human and murine cell types for up to 21 days, and sustained drug release profiles (days–weeks) in stent and antitumour contexts. Where quantified, functional outcomes in vivo included preserved graft volume (autologous fat grafts) and reduced intimal hyperplasia signals in vascular graft models. Critical gaps included heterogeneous CNC sources and surface chemistries, inconsistent reporting of CNC concentration and hydrogel formulation parameters, the limited duration and scope of biocompatibility testing, and minimal alignment with standard evaluation protocols, constraining reproducibility and cross-study comparability. To date, there are no human clinical trials of CNC-hydrogels. Translational readiness will require standardised ISO-compliant biocompatibility evaluations. Large-animal studies under relevant mechanical and physiological conditions, and rigorous long-term degradation and immunogenicity assessments to de-risk progression to human trials. We recommend standardised CNC sources and surface functionalisation reporting, concentration (wt%) ranges, hydrogel rheological characterisation (G′, G″, swelling), and consistent biological endpoints (viability, differentiation, inflammation panels) to enable robust meta-analyses and translational benchmarking. Distinct from prior nanocellulose reviews that emphasise material synthesis and properties, this analysis centres on the biomedical models and assays applied to CNC-incorporated hydrogels, identifying the methodological convergence and divergence that directly impact translational pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogels: Properties and Application in Biomedicine)
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