Advanced Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering: From Design Principles to Translational Regeneration

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Guest Editor
1. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
2. Center for Tissue Regeneration, Repair and Restoration, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
Interests: bioprinting; tissue engineering; cardiac tissue; microvasculature

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Guest Editor
Department of Metallurgy, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
Interests: biomaterials; inkjet printing; tissue engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Functional biomaterials are transforming tissue engineering by enabling precise control over biological, mechanical, and biochemical cues that govern tissue repair and regeneration. This Special Issue, titled Advanced Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering: From Design Principles to Translational Regeneration,” will highlight recent advances in biomaterials that actively modulate cellular behavior, promote vascularization and innervation, and improve functional integration with host tissues.

This Special Issue covers engineered biomaterials with tunable mechanical properties, aligned or hierarchical architectures, bioactive surface chemistries, and controlled delivery of cells, drugs, or genetic cargo. Emphasis will be placed on translational strategies that bridge in vitro design principles with in vivo performance across musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, neural, and soft tissue applications. Contributions addressing regenerative rehabilitation, immune–biomaterial interactions, and dynamic or stimuli-responsive materials are particularly encouraged.

Positioned within the rapidly evolving literature on regenerative medicine, this Special Issue builds upon prior JFB collections focused on biomechanical materials, engineered healing environments, and implantable regenerative platforms. By bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives from materials science, bioengineering, and clinical translation, this Special Issue will provide a comprehensive overview of how functional biomaterials can overcome persistent barriers to tissue regeneration and advance next-generation therapeutic solutions.

Dr. Beu Oropeza
Prof. Dr. Thomas Boland
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • functional biomaterials
  • tissue engineering
  • regenerative medicine
  • bioactive scaffolds
  • biomaterial mechanics
  • translational biomaterials
  • cell–material interactions

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 4328 KB  
Article
Early Biocompatibility of Brown Macroalgal Scaffolds in a Splinted Full-Thickness Rodent Wound Model: A Pilot Study
by Svava Kristinsdottir, Ottar Rolfsson, Olafur Eysteinn Sigurjonsson, Arni Kjalar Kristjansson, Hildur Sigurgrimsdottir, Jona Freysdottir, Sigurður Brynjolfsson and Sigrun Nanna Karlsdottir
J. Funct. Biomater. 2026, 17(8), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb17080373 - 1 Aug 2026
Viewed by 373
Abstract
Wounds are an increasing clinical and socioeconomic burden motivating the development of sustainable and biocompatible biomaterials for wound healing. Collagen-based extracellular matrix products can improve healing but are limited by cost and ethical or cultural constraints. Cellulose-rich macroalgal matrices offer a potential sustainable [...] Read more.
Wounds are an increasing clinical and socioeconomic burden motivating the development of sustainable and biocompatible biomaterials for wound healing. Collagen-based extracellular matrix products can improve healing but are limited by cost and ethical or cultural constraints. Cellulose-rich macroalgal matrices offer a potential sustainable alternative. This pilot study evaluated the biocompatibility and wound-healing performance of brown macroalgal scaffolds. Scaffolds derived from Laminaria digitata (LD) and Saccharina latissima (LS) were produced using the visible-light method. Indirect cytotoxicity was assessed in keratinocytes, and in vivo effects were evaluated in a splinted dorsal excisional wound model in Sprague Dawley rats (n = 24), comparing LD, LS, bacterial cellulose (a CACS), and standard of care (SOC). The LD and LS extracts were non-cytotoxic, and no adverse reactions were observed in vivo. Wounds treated with LD, LS, and the SOC showed faster wound closure than the CACS at intermediate timepoints. Inflammation and foreign-body response scores were low and comparable across all groups. The LD showed significantly greater fibroblast infiltration than the CACS at day 7, and at day 14, the LD group exhibited the highest collagen area fraction. These findings indicate that LD and LS scaffolds are non-cytotoxic, are well-tolerated in vivo, and influence wound repair in full-thickness wound models, warranting further study as sustainable biomaterial. Full article
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