Biodegradable Hydrogels

Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogels are generally known to be excellent candidates as biomaterials. Subsequently, biodegradable hydrogels have attracted a large amount of interest over the past two decades and become more attractive as tissue engineering scaffolds and polymeric matrices for drug and gene delivery. The ability to control the water uptake of these hydrogels and, hence, the degradation rate of the polymeric matrix in the hydrogel is an important design criteria utilized in optimizing the delivery of drugs from these hydrogels and the systematic desorption of tissue scaffolds. The copolymerization of biodegradable polyesters with common hydrogels is the most preferable approach for modulating the physical and mechanical properties of the copolyester hydrogels and water uptake and, hence, their hydrolysis and degradation rates. Furthermore, a wide range of chemistries can be used to design these copolymers with diverse properties and chemical structures. They can also be designed to have tissue-like properties that may enhance biocompatibility so that they do not cause any unwanted biological side-effects, such as inflammatory response from the surrounding tissue or damage to an organ of the body.

The aim of this Special Issue is to bring together researchers who are active in the field of biodegradable hydrogels, particularly copolyester hydrogels. Various topics are welcome, for example, design and synthesis of biodegradable copolyester hydrogels and other hydrolysable hydrogels, and structure–properties relationships and their applications in the delivery of bioactive molecules and as tissue scaffolds, including studies on the mechanism of degradation, cytotoxicity, and others.

Prof. Firas A. Rasoul
Guest Editor

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