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Advanced Soft Gels with Enhanced Functionality for Biomedical and Additive...
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Advanced Soft Gels with Enhanced Functionality for Biomedical and Additive Manufacturing Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2025) | Viewed by 16473

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ing Kong

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Guest Editor
Advanced Polymer and Composite Materials Laboratory, Department of Engineering, School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3552, Australia
Interests: biomaterials and scaffolds; biodegradable materials; composite and hybrid materials; chemistry and physics of hydrogels; nanomaterials; nanotechnology; tissue engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Akesh Babu Kakarla

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Advanced Polymer and Composite Materials Laboratory, Department of Engineering, School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3552, Australia
Interests: biomaterials and scaffolds; manufacturing process and technologies; tissue engineering and regenerative medicine; hydrogels; biodegradable materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soft gels, also known as hydrogels, microgels, and nanogels, are on the rise in the biomedical field. Their ability to be prepared under bio-friendly conditions and their promising properties are sparking enthusiasm. Soft gels, with their three-dimensional network and high water content, are not prone to disintegration or dissolution in excess water. They can be combined with cells to create two or three-dimensional scaffolds, eliminating the need for complicated fabrication processes or surgical procedures. Moreover, soft gels offer tunable mechanical properties, biodegradability, and biocompatibility, making them a beacon of hope for biomedical applications such as drug delivery, biosensors, 3D cell culture, tissue engineering, 3D bioprinting, and wound healing.

Despite the numerous advantages of soft gels, they still face significant challenges, particularly in terms of poor stability and mechanical properties. This underscores the urgent need for further research and development of new and advanced soft gels with significantly improved functionality and practical application, a need that is crucial for the medical field.

This Special Issue, a platform to showcase the latest advancements in soft gel technology, holds the potential to influence the field significantly. It encompasses natural, synthetic, and derivative gels applicable to advanced manufacturing techniques, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. We eagerly await submissions that delve into essential aspects of hydrogels, such as gel synthesis and development, physiochemical characterisation, biocompatibility, and practical application research.

Dr. Ing Kong
Dr. Akesh Babu Kakarla
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

  • synthesis
  • characterisation
  • physiochemical properties
  • biodegradation
  • synthetic and natural polymers
  • biopolymers
  • physical and chemical crosslinking
  • composite gels
  • self-healing gels
  • cell culture
  • drug delivery
  • 3D printing and bioprinting
  • tissue engineering
  • hydrogels
  • microgels
  • nanogels

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 5926 KB  
Article
Concave-Octahedral Fe2+-Rich Fe-MOF/FU Nano-Blocks with Enhanced pH-Responsive Nanozyme Activity Toward Stimuli-Responsive Gels for Chemo-Chemodynamic Synergistic Therapy
by Desheng Wang, Changjin Xu, Laibing Wang, Herima Qi, Riqing Cheng, Liang Bao, Huiqing Guo and Shikui Wu
Gels 2025, 11(9), 750; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11090750 - 17 Sep 2025
Viewed by 401
Abstract
Hydroxyl radicals (·OH) offer exceptional potential for cancer treatment through reactive oxygen species (ROS) amplification and apoptotic induction. However, conventional Fe-based metal–organic framework (Fe-MOF) nanomaterials are limited by inadequate Fe2+ concentrations, resulting in suboptimal Fenton catalytic performance. This study presents concave octahedral [...] Read more.
Hydroxyl radicals (·OH) offer exceptional potential for cancer treatment through reactive oxygen species (ROS) amplification and apoptotic induction. However, conventional Fe-based metal–organic framework (Fe-MOF) nanomaterials are limited by inadequate Fe2+ concentrations, resulting in suboptimal Fenton catalytic performance. This study presents concave octahedral Fe-MOF nanomaterials with integrated bimetallic Fe/Zn centers through controlled solvothermal synthesis. The nanoplatform exhibits high specific surface area (559 m2/g) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) loading efficiency (58.7%). These structural properties establish it as a potential nanobuilding block for constructing stimuli-responsive gels. With optimized Fe2+ content (57.3%), the Fe-MOF material shows enhanced nanozyme-like activity (Vmax = 4.58 × 10−7 M/s, Kcat = 1.83 × 10−3 s−1) for H2O2-mediated ·OH generation. The Fe-MOF@FU demonstrates pH-responsive drug release (76.5% at pH 5.0) and glutathione (GSH) depletion, synergistically enhancing oxidative stress. Biocompatibility studies confirm safety, while in vitro investigations show remarkable anticancer activity against 4T1 cells with 17.8% viability, supporting its dual role as an independent therapeutic agent and a functional component for future gel-based delivery systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Soft Gels with Enhanced Functionality for Biomedical and Additive Manufacturing Applications)
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32 pages, 9779 KB  
Article
Cinnamon-Mediated Silver Nanoparticles and Beta-Carotene Nanocarriers in Alginate Dressings for Wound Healing Applications
by Anca Elena Țăin (Anastasiu), Alexandra Cătălina Bîrcă, Monica Sânziana Nedelcu, Alina Maria Holban, Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu, Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu and Ariana Hudiță
Gels 2025, 11(9), 738; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11090738 - 15 Sep 2025
Viewed by 595
Abstract
The natural wound healing process is often insufficient to restore tissue integrity in the case of chronic wounds, particularly when skin disruption is accompanied by pathological complications. The severity of these wounds is frequently exacerbated by persistent inflammation and the formation of bacterial [...] Read more.
The natural wound healing process is often insufficient to restore tissue integrity in the case of chronic wounds, particularly when skin disruption is accompanied by pathological complications. The severity of these wounds is frequently exacerbated by persistent inflammation and the formation of bacterial biofilms, which significantly hinder skin regeneration. In this study, a pharmaceutical hydrogel-based wound dressing was developed and evaluated, incorporating silver nanoparticles synthesized with cinnamon essential oil that serves as both a stabilizer and antimicrobial agent, polymeric beta-carotene nanoparticles, and Centella asiatica extract. The work details the synthesis of both types of nanoparticles, their integration into an alginate-based matrix, and the subsequent formulation of composite dressings. The influence of each therapeutic agent on the morphology and structural characteristics of the dressings was demonstrated, along with the evaluation of their antimicrobial performance against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. The antimicrobial effects observed within the first 24 h, critical for wound dressing application, highlight the potential of the developed materials for effective chronic wound management. A comprehensive set of analyses was performed to characterize the synthesized nanostructures and the final dressings. These included XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDS, and DLS. Additionally, swelling and degradation tests were conducted to assess hydrogel performance, while antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities were tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli over a 24-h period. The biocompatibility screening of the alginate-based wound dressings was performed on human keratinocyte cells and revealed that the incorporation of beta-carotene and Centella asiatica into alginate-based wound dressings effectively mitigates silver-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress and determines the development of highly biocompatible wound dressings. This paper presents an alginate hydrogel co-loaded with Ag nanoparticles, BC@PVP, and Centella asiatica extract that balances antimicrobial efficacy with cytocompatibility. Pairing silver with natural antioxidant/anti-inflammatory components mitigates cell stress while retaining broad activity, and the nanoparticle choice tunes pore architecture to optimize moisture and exudate control in chronic wounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Soft Gels with Enhanced Functionality for Biomedical and Additive Manufacturing Applications)
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11 pages, 736 KB  
Article
Improving Vaginal Health with a Zinc-Containing Vaginal Hydrogel
by Dávid Rátonyi, Barbara Kozma, Attila G. Sipos, Zoárd Tibor Krasznai, Bence Kozma and Peter Takacs
Gels 2025, 11(3), 214; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11030214 - 19 Mar 2025
Viewed by 2536
Abstract
Vulvovaginal symptoms affect up to 39% of women. These symptoms have a significant impact on quality of life and are often linked to imbalances in the vaginal microbiota. This study evaluates the therapeutic efficacy of a zinc-containing hydroxyethyl cellulose-based hydrogel in 37 women [...] Read more.
Vulvovaginal symptoms affect up to 39% of women. These symptoms have a significant impact on quality of life and are often linked to imbalances in the vaginal microbiota. This study evaluates the therapeutic efficacy of a zinc-containing hydroxyethyl cellulose-based hydrogel in 37 women with different vulvovaginal symptoms (itching, burning, irritation, pain, dryness, discharge, and odor). Over 12 weeks, participants applied the gel intravaginally with both assessments conducted at baseline and follow-ups. Results revealed substantial improvements in symptoms, including reductions in vaginal discharge, itching, and burning, as measured by the Vulvovaginal Symptom Questionnaire (VSQ-21), with scores decreasing from 10.78 ± 3.66 at baseline to 3.17 ± 4.16 at week 12 (p < 0.01). Vaginal Health Index (VHI) scores improved significantly, from 20.78 ± 1.74 at baseline to 23.64 ± 2.59 (p < 0.01). Cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) zinc levels decreased from 110 ± 102 µg/L at baseline to 62 ± 48 µg/L at week 4 (p < 0.01), increased to 80 ± 55 µg/L at week 8 (p = 0.04), and reached 99 ± 92 µg/L by week 12 (NS). A correlation analysis showed an inverse relationship between baseline CVL zinc levels and VSQ-21 scores (r = −0.3586, p = 0.034), while no significant correlation was observed with VHI scores (r = −0.0187, p = 0.9545). Vaginal pH levels decreased significantly, dropping from 4.03 ± 0.42 to 3.71 ± 0.48 (p < 0.01). These findings support the gel’s role as an effective, nonhormonal, drug-free, and local adjunct treatment for a variety of vulvovaginal symptoms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Soft Gels with Enhanced Functionality for Biomedical and Additive Manufacturing Applications)
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17 pages, 5542 KB  
Article
Fabrication and Evaluation of Dissolving Hyaluronic Acid Microneedle Patches for Minimally Invasive Transdermal Drug Delivery by Nanoimprinting
by Sayaka Miura, Rio Yamagishi, Mano Ando, Yuna Hachikubo, Nor Amirrah Ibrahim, Nur Izzah Md Fadilah, Manira Maarof, Misaki Oshima, Sen Lean Goo, Hiryu Hayashi, Mayu Morita, Mh Busra Fauzi and Satoshi Takei
Gels 2025, 11(2), 89; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11020089 - 23 Jan 2025
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5083
Abstract
Transdermal drug delivery minimizes pain and provides a controlled, stable release of drugs, but its effectiveness is limited by the skin’s natural barriers. Microneedles overcome this problem, enabling minimally invasive drug delivery. Microneedle patches (MNPs) with 80 µm-tall needles composed of hyaluronic acid [...] Read more.
Transdermal drug delivery minimizes pain and provides a controlled, stable release of drugs, but its effectiveness is limited by the skin’s natural barriers. Microneedles overcome this problem, enabling minimally invasive drug delivery. Microneedle patches (MNPs) with 80 µm-tall needles composed of hyaluronic acid (HA) were developed and evaluated for their formability, structural integrity, dissolution rate, skin penetration ability, and drug transmission capacity. The influence of the molecular weight of HA on these properties was also investigated. MNPs made from low-molecular-weight HA (30 kDa–50 kDa) demonstrated 12.5 times superior drug permeability in ex vivo human skin compared to needleless patches (NLPs). Furthermore, in the same test, low-molecular-weight HA MNPs had 1.7 times higher drug permeability than high-molecular-weight HA MNPs, suggesting superior transdermal administration. The molecular weight of HA significantly influenced its solubility and permeability, highlighting the potential effectiveness of MNPs as drug delivery systems. Puncture tests demonstrated a penetration depth of 50–60 µm, indicating minimal nerve irritation in the dermis and effective drug delivery to the superficial dermal layer. These results present a manufacturing technique for MNPs incorporating model drug compounds and highlight their potential as a novel and minimally invasive drug delivery method for the biomedical applications of soft gels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Soft Gels with Enhanced Functionality for Biomedical and Additive Manufacturing Applications)
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20 pages, 4539 KB  
Article
Development of Soft Wrinkled Micropatterns on the Surface of 3D-Printed Hydrogel-Based Scaffolds via High-Resolution Digital Light Processing
by Mauricio A. Sarabia-Vallejos, Scarleth Romero De la Fuente, Nicolás A. Cohn-Inostroza, Claudio A. Terraza, Juan Rodríguez-Hernández and Carmen M. González-Henríquez
Gels 2024, 10(12), 761; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10120761 - 23 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1090
Abstract
The preparation of sophisticated hierarchically structured and cytocompatible hydrogel scaffolds is presented. For this purpose, a photosensitive resin was developed, printability was evaluated, and the optimal conditions for 3D printing were investigated. The design and fabrication by additive manufacturing of tailor-made porous scaffolds [...] Read more.
The preparation of sophisticated hierarchically structured and cytocompatible hydrogel scaffolds is presented. For this purpose, a photosensitive resin was developed, printability was evaluated, and the optimal conditions for 3D printing were investigated. The design and fabrication by additive manufacturing of tailor-made porous scaffolds were combined with the formation of surface wrinkled micropatterns. This enabled the combination of micrometer-sized channels (100–200 microns) with microstructured wrinkled surfaces (1–3 μm wavelength). The internal pore structure was found to play a critical role in the mechanical properties. More precisely, the TPMS structure with a zero local curvature appears to be an excellent candidate for maintaining its mechanical resistance to compression stress, thus retaining its structural integrity upon large uniaxial deformations up to 70%. Finally, the washing conditions selected enabled us to produce noncytotoxic materials, as evidenced by experiments using AlamarBlue to follow the metabolic activity of the cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Soft Gels with Enhanced Functionality for Biomedical and Additive Manufacturing Applications)
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11 pages, 2081 KB  
Article
Adsorption Capacity of Activated Carbon-Encapsulated Hollow-Type Spherical Bacterial Cellulose Gels for Uremic Toxins in a Simulated Human Gastrointestinal Environment
by Aya Hirai, Masashige Suzuki, Kaito Sato, Toru Hoshi and Takao Aoyagi
Gels 2024, 10(7), 417; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10070417 - 25 Jun 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2066
Abstract
To reduce the risk of the adsorption of granular activated carbon in the gastrointestinal tract, we successfully produced a hollow-type spherical bacterial cellulose (HSBC) gel containing activated carbon with a particle size of 6 μm. In this study, the aim of which was [...] Read more.
To reduce the risk of the adsorption of granular activated carbon in the gastrointestinal tract, we successfully produced a hollow-type spherical bacterial cellulose (HSBC) gel containing activated carbon with a particle size of 6 μm. In this study, the aim of which was to develop an effective formulation, we evaluated the stability of activated-carbon-encapsulating HSBC gels under various pH conditions. Activated-carbon-encapsulating HSBC gels (ACEGs) retained the activated carbon without leaking when subjected to agitation in acidic or basic environments. The saturated adsorption amount, calculated using the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, was affected by the target adsorbate and pH conditions. These results indicate that ACEGs can adsorb uremic toxins and their precursors similarly to conventional uremic toxin adsorbents while preventing direct contact between the encapsulated activated carbon and the gastrointestinal tract. Compared to powdered activated carbon, the ACEG is less likely to be adsorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, the proposed ACEG is a promising new formulation that will contribute to the treatment of renal failure and improve patients’ compliance with medication. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Soft Gels with Enhanced Functionality for Biomedical and Additive Manufacturing Applications)
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Review

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26 pages, 5377 KB  
Review
Self-Assembly Behavior of Collagen and Its Composite Materials: Preparation, Characterizations, and Biomedical Engineering and Allied Applications
by Chengfei Yue, Changkun Ding, Minjie Xu, Min Hu and Ruquan Zhang
Gels 2024, 10(10), 642; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10100642 - 8 Oct 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3585
Abstract
Collagen is the oldest and most abundant extracellular matrix protein and has many applications in biomedical, food, cosmetic, and other industries. Previous reviews have already introduced collagen’s sources, structures, and biosynthesis. The biological and mechanical properties of collagen-based composite materials, their modification and [...] Read more.
Collagen is the oldest and most abundant extracellular matrix protein and has many applications in biomedical, food, cosmetic, and other industries. Previous reviews have already introduced collagen’s sources, structures, and biosynthesis. The biological and mechanical properties of collagen-based composite materials, their modification and application forms, and their interactions with host tissues are pinpointed. It is worth noting that self-assembly behavior is the main characteristic of collagen molecules. However, there is currently relatively little review on collagen-based composite materials based on self-assembly. Herein, we briefly reviewed the biosynthesis, extraction, structure, and properties of collagen, systematically presented an overview of the various factors and corresponding characterization techniques that affect the collagen self-assembly process, and summarize and discuss the preparation methods and application progress of collagen-based composite materials in different fields. By combining the self-assembly behavior of collagen with preparation methods of collagen-based composite materials, collagen-based composite materials with various functional reactions can be selectively prepared, and these experiences and outcomes can provide inspiration and practical techniques for the future development directions and challenges of collagen-based composite biomaterials in related applications fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Soft Gels with Enhanced Functionality for Biomedical and Additive Manufacturing Applications)
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