Functional Hydrogels in Biomedical Applications: Wound Healing and Drug Delivery
A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: hydrogel; stimuli-responsive polymers; bone regeneration, cartilage repair; hemostatic material; drug delivery; self-assembly
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue. “Functional Hydrogels in Biomedical Applications: Wound Healing and Drug Delivery”, aims to highlight cutting-edge research and recent advancements in the design, synthesis, and application of hydrogels as versatile biomaterials. Over the past years, hydrogels—with their unique tunable properties, high water content, and biocompatibility—have emerged as promising platforms for wound healing and controlled drug delivery. Their ability to mimic natural tissues, respond to physiological stimuli, and release therapeutics in a sustained and targeted manner makes them invaluable tools in modern medicine. We invite researchers to explore this collection as a roadmap for future innovations in biomaterials, regenerative medicine, and beyond.
This Special Issue welcomes original research articles and comprehensive reviews addressing, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Smart and functional hydrogels;
- Functional hydrogels for biomedical applications;
- Smart hydrogels for targeted and controlled drug delivery;
- Bioactive and antimicrobial hydrogels for wound healing;
- Characterization and performance of hydrogel-based systems;
- 3D/4D printing and advanced fabrication of hydrogels.
We look forward to receiving your contributions and sharing exciting new insights with the scientific community.
Dr. Xing Wang
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- smart/functional hydrogels
- biomedical application
- biocompatible polymers
- antimicrobial hydrogels
- stimuli-responsive materials
- drug delivery system
- wound dressing and wound healing
- controlled drug release
- tissue regeneration
- 3D bioprinting
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