Biodegradable Hydrogels with Potential Biomedical Applications as Drug Delivery Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Biodegradable hydrogels are green, multi-purpose materials that have been receiving increasing attention in recent years in the field of biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. Due to their biocompatibility and their possible impartation of responsiveness to a variety of external stimuli (such as pH, temperature, ionic strength, and even inflammatory processes), they find beneficial applications in drug delivery. The physicochemical properties of the hydrogels can be finely tailored to achieve a precise control over the delivery and targeted release of bioactive molecules.

This Special Issue aims to showcase the recent developments in the rapidly expanding field of biodegradable and hybrid hydrogels for drug delivery. A special focus will be dedicated to papers that present innovative research on synthetic methods and formulation strategies, the fine-tuning of responsiveness for controlled drug release, targeting, and biodegradation, and novel applications in upcoming fields such as nutraceuticals. Original research papers dealing with the physicochemical characterization of biodegradable, self-healing hydrogels and hybrid hydrogels derived from renewable resources for pharmaceutical applications are also welcome.

We believe that the topic of this Special Issue can promote innovative and collaborative research, capturing the interest of a wide audience across various disciplines, spanning from colloids to pharmaceutics.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Agnese Magnani
Dr. Ilaria Clemente
Dr. Duccio Tatini
Dr. Vanessa Rosciardi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• biodegradable and hybrid hydrogels
• drug delivery
• smart biomaterials
• stimuli-sensitive
• multi-responsive
• self-healing
• nanocomposites
• targeted release
• controlled degradation
• natural polymers
• functionalization and characterization strategies
• renewable materials