Innovative Strategies and Molecular Insights Into Wound Healing
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 4
Special Issue Editor
Interests: wound healing; hypertrophic scar; burn rehabilitation; scar management; skin regeneration; shock-wave therapy; stem cell therapy; rehabilitation medicine; burn pain; tissue engineering
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Wound healing is a multifaceted biological process involving overlapping phases of hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Effective healing requires orchestrated interactions among immune cells, fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and endothelial cells, which release chemocytokines and growth factors that drive cell migration, angiogenesis, and tissue remodeling. Disruptions to these mechanisms—for example, due to infection, diabetes, or other chronic diseases—can lead to non‑healing ulcers that severely reduce quality of life and impose a huge economic burden.
To overcome these challenges, researchers are exploring innovative therapies. Stem‑cell‑based approaches are promising; adipose‑derived mesenchymal stem cells are easy to isolate and secrete proangiogenic factors, and clinical studies show that they shorten healing time, reduce pain, and improve cosmetic outcomes in chronic wounds. Mesenchymal stem cells can modulate inflammation, stimulate angiogenesis, and differentiate into multiple tissue types; engineering strategies such as gene modification, cytokine preconditioning, and biomaterial scaffolds enhance their survival and therapeutic efficacy. Wound‑healing research also embraces nanomaterials, bioactive hydrogels, 3D‑bioprinted scaffolds, exosome‑mediated therapies, low‑temperature plasma, shock‑wave and laser treatments, smart dressings with embedded sensors, and digital health tools for monitoring healing.
This Special Issue aims to provide a multidisciplinary forum for cutting‑edge research that advances our mechanistic understanding of wound healing and translates innovative therapies into clinical practice. We welcome the submission of original research articles, reviews, and commentaries related to, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Molecular and cellular mechanisms governing each phase of wound healing and scar formation.
- Role of immune cells, inflammation resolution, and the skin microbiome in tissue regeneration.
- Advanced biomaterials (hydrogels, nanofibers, scaffolds, 3D bioprinting) and smart wound dressings.
- Gene therapy, RNA interference, exosome‑based interventions, and growth factor delivery.
- Applications of stem cells, engineered tissues, and regenerative medicine.
- Noninvasive and energy‑based therapies (low‑temperature plasma, extracorporeal shock‑wave therapy, photobiomodulation) and their mechanistic effects.
- Digital and wearable technologies for wound assessment, telemedicine, and AI‑driven decision support.
- Strategies for preventing and treating chronic wounds (diabetic ulcers, pressure ulcers, burns) and hypertrophic scars.
By bringing together contributions from molecular biology, materials science, bioengineering, and rehabilitation medicine, this Special Issue will accelerate the translation of innovative wound‑healing research into clinical practice, improve patient outcomes, and reduce the socioeconomic burden of chronic wounds.
Dr. Cheong Hoon Seo
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- wound healing
- tissue regeneration
- hypertrophic scar
- biomaterials
- stem cell therapy
- gene therapy
- exosomes
- burn rehabilitation
- inflammation
- regenerative medicine
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