Emerging Natural-Polymer-Based Materials for Biomedical Applications
A special issue of Journal of Functional Biomaterials (ISSN 2079-4983). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomaterials and Devices for Healthcare Applications".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2027 | Viewed by 431
Editors
Interests: natural polymers; biomaterials; microneedles; skin patches; drug delivery; wound healing; skin applications
Interests: natural materials; natural polymers; marine-based biomaterials; bio-inspiration; tissue engineering; 3D scaffolds; hydrogels
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Natural polymers are rapidly emerging as key players in the development of next-generation biomedical systems. Proteins and polysaccharides, including collagen, gelatin, silk, chitin, chitosan, alginate, cellulose and hyaluronic acid, possess inherent biocompatibility, biodegradability and structural versatility that make them well-suited for medical use. These polymers can be fabricated into hydrogels, films, fibers, micro- and nanoparticles, three-dimensional scaffolds and microneedle patches, providing a wide range of material architectures with tunable physical and chemical properties that can be tailored for drug delivery, wound healing, tissue engineering and other biomedical applications.
Despite substantial progress in this field, further innovation is needed to expand the functionality and translational potential of natural-polymer-based materials. Key challenges include limited mechanical strength, variable stability, and the need for improved control over drug release and material architecture. Advances in functionalization with bioactive compounds, stimuli-responsive designs and emerging fabrication approaches, including micromolding and 3D bioprinting, are helping to overcome these barriers, opening new avenues for their biomedical use.
This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances and emerging trends in natural-polymer-based materials for biomedical applications. We invite authors to submit original research articles and reviews addressing innovative fabrication strategies, functional modifications, biological performance, bio-inspiration and novel therapeutic uses of natural-polymer systems. We hope this Special Issue will foster new collaborations and drive progress in natural-polymer-based materials for biomedical applications.
Dr. Ana Cristina Quintans da Silva
Dr. Susana C. M. Fernandes
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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Functional Biomaterials 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 2700 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
- natural polymers
- bioactive compounds
- biomaterials
- drug delivery
- wound healing
- tissue engineering
- biomedical applications
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