Biomaterials for Drug Delivery and Cancer Therapy

A special issue of Journal of Functional Biomaterials (ISSN 2079-4983). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomaterials for Drug Delivery".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2025) | Viewed by 1177

Special Issue Editors

Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
Interests: nanomedicine; cancer therapy; lipid nanoparticles; mRNA therapeutics, cancer diagnosis; AI-assisted cancer therapy
Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
Interests: biomaterials; biomimetic synthesis; nanomedicine; tissue engineering; drug delivery; imaging

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled "Biomaterials for Drug Delivery and Cancer Therapy", comprises a comprehensive collection of articles that explore the latest advancements concerning the biomaterials used for targeted drug delivery and cancer treatment. This Issue aims to provide readers with a deeper understanding of the innovative approaches being developed to improve the efficacy and safety of cancer therapies.

Cancer remains one of the most significant health challenges worldwide, with millions of new cases diagnosed each year. Despite significant progress in cancer research, the development of more effective and less toxic treatments is still an urgent need. Biomaterials play a crucial role in addressing this challenge by offering novel strategies for targeted drug delivery and localized therapy, which can minimize systemic side effects and enhance treatment outcomes.

As we continue to unravel the complexities of cancer biology and strive for more personalized and effective treatments, the articles in this Special Issue serve as a testament to the power of interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in the fight against cancer. We hope that this collection will inspire further research and developments in the field of biomaterials for drug delivery and cancer therapy, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes and quality of life. Areas of interest include (but not limited to) the following:

  1. New techniques/functional biomaterials for cancer diagnosis and therapeutics;
  2. New applications and advantages of functional biomaterials;
  3. Mechanisms/insights/reviews of different biomaterials regarding cancer treatment to guide future studies;
  4. Negative results with detailed methods/rationales/discussions on cancer therapy;
  5. Biomaterials for targeted delivery.

Dr. Wen Yang
Dr. Chao Qi
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • cancer therapy
  • cancer diagnosis
  • biomaterials
  • drug discovery
  • clinical translation
  • drug delivery

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 7082 KB  
Article
Ultrasound-Responsive Drug Delivery System Based on Piezoelectric Catalytic Mechanisms
by Kaixi Cui, Tianzheng Li, Yifei Ma, Chuanjin Zhang, Ke Zhang, Chao Qi and Kaiyong Cai
J. Funct. Biomater. 2025, 16(8), 304; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb16080304 - 21 Aug 2025
Viewed by 785
Abstract
Ultrasound-responsive nanomaterials represent a promising approach for achieving non-invasive and localized drug delivery within tumor microenvironments. In this study, we developed a piezocatalysis-assisted hydrogel system that integrates reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation with stimulus-responsive drug release. The platform combines piezoelectric barium titanate (BTO) [...] Read more.
Ultrasound-responsive nanomaterials represent a promising approach for achieving non-invasive and localized drug delivery within tumor microenvironments. In this study, we developed a piezocatalysis-assisted hydrogel system that integrates reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation with stimulus-responsive drug release. The platform combines piezoelectric barium titanate (BTO) nanoparticles with a ROS-sensitive hydrogel matrix, forming an ultrasound-activated dual-function therapeutic system. Upon ultrasound irradiation, the BTO nanoparticles generate ROS—predominantly hydroxyl radicals (OH) and singlet oxygen (1O2)—through the piezoelectric effect, which triggers hydrogel degradation and facilitates the controlled release of encapsulated therapeutic agents. The composition and kinetics of ROS generation were evaluated using radical scavenging assays and fluorescence probe techniques, while the drug release behavior was validated under simulated oxidative environments and acoustic fields. Structural and compositional characterizations (TEM, XRD, and XPS) confirmed the quality and stability of the nanoparticles, and cytocompatibility was assessed using 3T3 fibroblasts. This synergistic strategy, combining piezocatalytic ROS generation with hydrogel disintegration, demonstrates a feasible approach for designing responsive nanoplatforms in ultrasound-mediated drug delivery systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials for Drug Delivery and Cancer Therapy)
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