Innovative Nanomaterial Applications for Tissue Repair and Wound Healing

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Biology and Medicines".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 432

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, DBSV, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
Interests: immunity; regenerative nanomedicine; wound healing; animal models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, DBSV, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
Interests: immunity; regenerative nanomedicine; wound healing; animal models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Science, Technology and Sustainability for Ceramics, National Research Council (CNR), 48018 Faenza, Italy
Interests: nanoscaffolds; 3D printing; freeze-drying; solvent casting

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Tissue repair and wound healing are complex and highly regulated biological processes that involve inflammation, cell migration, proliferation, extracellular matrix deposition, and remodeling. Over the past two decades, advances in nanotechnology have significantly deepened our understanding of how nanoscale materials can interact with cells, tissues, and biological microenvironments. Nanomaterials, due to their surface-to-volume ratio, physicochemical properties and ability to deliver bioactive agents with high precision, are recently emerging as powerful tools to modulate inflammatory responses, promote angiogenesis, enhance antimicrobial activity, and guide a correct tissue regeneration. As a result, nanotechnology is increasingly becoming a keystone in designing next-generation wound scaffolds and regenerative therapies.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide an up-to-date overview of the innovative applications of nanomaterials in tissue repair and wound healing, highlighting the most recent advances in nanotechnology-driven therapeutic strategies. We aim to highlight the rapid growth of this field, from basic studies on how nanomaterials interact with cells to applied research that brings these technologies closer to clinical use.

This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge research that explores how engineered nanomaterials can accelerate healing, restore functional tissue architecture, and address challenging clinical conditions including chronic wounds, burns, diabetic ulcers, and infection-prone lesions. Contributions that demonstrate novel manufacture techniques, characterization methods, or mechanistic insights into how nanomaterials influence biological pathways are especially encouraged. Interdisciplinary works that bridge materials science, biotechnology, and clinical medicine will also be particularly valued.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, communications, and perspectives on any topic related to the use of nanomaterials in tissue repair and wound healing. Suitable submissions include, but are not limited to, the following: advanced wound dressings with nanoparticles or nanofibers; nanoengineered scaffolds for tissue regeneration; antimicrobial or anti-biofilm nanomaterials; nano-based delivery systems for drugs, genes, or growth factors; immunomodulatory therapies; smart or responsive nanomaterials; and translational or preclinical studies assessing their therapeutic effectiveness.

Dr. Nicolò Baranzini
Dr. Annalisa Grimaldi
Dr. Elisabetta Campodoni
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • nanomaterials
  • tissue repair
  • wound healing
  • regenerative medicine
  • nanotechnology-based therapies

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 27208 KB  
Article
Evaluating 3D-Patch Efficacy in Wound Healing Using the Medicinal Leech Hirudo verbana as an In Vivo Model
by Giorgia Costantini, Laura Pulze, Nicolò Baranzini, Elisabetta Campodoni, Monica Sandri and Annalisa Grimaldi
Nanomaterials 2026, 16(12), 712; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16120712 - 9 Jun 2026
Viewed by 178
Abstract
Skin injuries are common and can result from surgeries, burns, pressure sores, cuts, and diseases. Proper wound healing is crucial for maintaining homeostasis; wounds can be classified as acute or chronic. Acute wounds heal in four sequential phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. [...] Read more.
Skin injuries are common and can result from surgeries, burns, pressure sores, cuts, and diseases. Proper wound healing is crucial for maintaining homeostasis; wounds can be classified as acute or chronic. Acute wounds heal in four sequential phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Chronic wounds arise when this process fails, often due to prolonged inflammation. Existing treatments for chronic wounds are limited, and antibiotic resistance complicates infection control, highlighting the urgent need for new therapies. Biomaterials, particularly gelatin, have gained attention for their biomimetic properties, biocompatibility, and ability to promote healing. Gelatin’s ECM-like structure supports tissue metabolism, and it can be enriched with bioactive compounds to enhance tissue regeneration, collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and antimicrobial activity. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a 3D gelatin-based patch in vivo, using Hirudo verbana as a model. The patch, functionalized with chitosan and bioactive apatite nanoparticles, was implanted in injured leeches, with tissue samples collected at 72 h, 1 week, and 2 weeks. Scaffold integration, cell colonization, and healing effects were assessed through morphological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural analyses. The findings confirm H. verbana as a robust in vivo model for regenerative medicine and demonstrate the promising potential of gelatin-based patches. Full article
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