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Polysaccharides
Special Issues
Translational Advances in Polysaccharide-Based Materials: Bridging Pharmacy, Biomedicine, and Engineering
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Translational Advances in Polysaccharide-Based Materials: Bridging Pharmacy, Biomedicine, and Engineering

A special issue of Polysaccharides (ISSN 2673-4176).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 3567

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Tina Maver

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
2. The Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Interests: polysaccharide-based hydrogels; 3D bioprinting and skin-on-a-chip models; wound dressings; controlled drug delivery; regenerative and in vitro tissue models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Uroš Maver

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
2. The Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Interests: polysaccharide-derived biomaterials; advanced drug delivery systems; organ-on-a-chip technologies; biocompatibility and cellular interactions; translational tissue engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, “Translational Advances in Polysaccharide-Based Materials: Bridging Pharmacy, Biomedicine, and Engineering” aims to showcase cutting-edge research and applications of natural polysaccharides as key building blocks in the development of advanced materials for pharmaceutical, biomedical, and engineering purposes. Contributions will highlight the role of polysaccharides in designing bioactive coatings, smart hydrogels, drug delivery systems, 3D bioprinted constructs, and biocompatible sensors. Particular emphasis will be placed on translational approaches that connect fundamental discoveries with industrial and clinical implementation, including the development of materials for controlled drug release, regenerative medicine, cell and organ-on-a-chip models, and sustainable alternatives to animal testing. This Special Issue welcomes interdisciplinary studies integrating polysaccharide chemistry, materials science, pharmacology, tissue engineering, and microfluidic technologies. The overarching goal is to present innovative strategies that facilitate the translation of laboratory achievements into clinical and industrial applications, promoting the creation of safe, effective, and sustainable biomaterials for the next generation of healthcare and biotechnological solutions.

Dr. Tina Maver
Dr. Uroš Maver
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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polysaccharides is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1200 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

  • polysaccharide-based biomaterials
  • drug delivery
  • tissue engineering
  • bioactive coatings
  • hydrogels
  • regenerative models
  • in vitro models

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 2544 KB  
Article
Size-Dependent Diffusive Transport in Alkali-Insolubilized Konjac Glucomannan Free-Standing Membranes
by Misaki Morota, Keita Kashima and Masahide Hagiri
Polysaccharides 2026, 7(2), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides7020043 - 6 Apr 2026
Viewed by 704
Abstract
As the demand for sustainable and bio-based alternatives to petroleum-derived membranes grows, polysaccharides have emerged as promising candidates. In this study, we fabricated free-standing membranes from konjac glucomannan (KGM), a neutral polysaccharide, using a simple base-induced insolubilization process. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed [...] Read more.
As the demand for sustainable and bio-based alternatives to petroleum-derived membranes grows, polysaccharides have emerged as promising candidates. In this study, we fabricated free-standing membranes from konjac glucomannan (KGM), a neutral polysaccharide, using a simple base-induced insolubilization process. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the deacetylation of KGM chains promotes extensive intermolecular hydrogen bonding, creating a robust and stable three-dimensional network without the need for chemical cross-linkers. The resulting KGM free-standing membranes exhibited excellent mechanical properties, characterized by high tensile strength in the dry state and remarkable flexibility when hydrated. Furthermore, the membranes demonstrated superior chemical resistance to organic solvents such as acetone and n-hexane. Transport studies showed that the membranes possess a highly dense structure with no detectable pressure-driven pure-water permeation up to 0.25 MPa. Solute permeation experiments using eight model molecules (molecular weight = 144–14,600 Da) indicated that transport behavior is consistent with diffusion through a hydrated polymer network. The effective diffusion coefficient Deff showed a strong correlation with molecular weight M, following the relationship Deff ∝ M−1.7. Furthermore, the permeation behavior remained stable across a wide pH range (2–12), and, within the investigated range of monovalent solutes, Deff was insensitive to solute charge, indicating that mass transport is dominated by size-based diffusion rather than electrostatic interactions. These findings suggest that KGM free-standing membranes enable reliable molecular fractionation based on size-dependent diffusion within a stable, neutral matrix, offering significant potential for sustainable separation technologies and biomedical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Translational Advances in Polysaccharide-Based Materials: Bridging Pharmacy, Biomedicine, and Engineering)
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14 pages, 2396 KB  
Article
Alginate–Chitosan Nanoparticles Improve the Stability and Biocompatibility of Olive Leaf Polyphenols
by Salam M. Habib, Rawabi Alqadi, Sarah Jaradat, Hakem Al-Soufi, Maria Gazouli and Imad Hamadneh
Polysaccharides 2026, 7(1), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides7010029 - 6 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 949
Abstract
Polysaccharide-based nanocarriers offer a novel delivery system for improving the stability, controlled release, and biological functionality of plant-derived bioactive materials. Olive leaf extract (OLE), rich in polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant and other bioactive properties, is limited by low stability and bioavailability. In this [...] Read more.
Polysaccharide-based nanocarriers offer a novel delivery system for improving the stability, controlled release, and biological functionality of plant-derived bioactive materials. Olive leaf extract (OLE), rich in polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant and other bioactive properties, is limited by low stability and bioavailability. In this study, OLE-loaded alginate–chitosan nanoparticles were prepared using ionotropic gelation–polyelectrolyte complexation (IG-PEC) method, and their physicochemical properties, cytotoxic behavior, and potential prebiotic effects were evaluated. The resulting nanoparticles (232–237 nm) exhibited uniform spherical morphology, negative zeta potentials, and improved colloidal stability. Free OLE demonstrated concentration-dependent and selective cytotoxicity toward A549 and MCF-7 cancer cells, while exhibiting lower toxicity toward normal fibroblasts. In contrast, unloaded and OLE-loaded nanoparticles (1X, 2X) showed low cytotoxicity, suggesting superior biocompatibility of the polysaccharide nanocarrier. Notably, cultures supplemented with OLE-loaded nanoparticles showed a trend toward higher probiotic growth compared to free OLE, indicating a potential prebiotic effect and improved microbial tolerance to polyphenols during extended exposure. These findings highlight the advantages of polysaccharide-based nanoencapsulation for both stabilizing bioactive materials and supporting favorable microbial responses. The developed OLE nanocarriers may serve as a promising platform for nutraceutical, biomedical, and functional food applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Translational Advances in Polysaccharide-Based Materials: Bridging Pharmacy, Biomedicine, and Engineering)
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Review

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26 pages, 4653 KB  
Review
Polysaccharide-Modified Liposomes: Advances in Surface Engineering for Targeted Drug Delivery
by Plamen Simeonov, Stanislava Ivanova, Raina Ardasheva and Plamen Katsarov
Polysaccharides 2026, 7(1), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides7010027 - 3 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1427
Abstract
Liposomes remain one of the most utilized drug delivery systems due to their numerous advantages. However, they face significant challenges primarily due to their low colloidal stability as well as their rapid clearance by the reticuloendothelial and mononuclear phagocyte systems. Surface modifications have [...] Read more.
Liposomes remain one of the most utilized drug delivery systems due to their numerous advantages. However, they face significant challenges primarily due to their low colloidal stability as well as their rapid clearance by the reticuloendothelial and mononuclear phagocyte systems. Surface modifications have been identified as a highly effective approach to address these challenges. Various molecules can be utilized as surface modifiers. However, polysaccharides are widely employed in this regard, due to their unique characteristics, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-toxicity, as well as their ability to interact with the liposomal surface through different mechanisms. The aim of the present review is to provide a thorough analysis of polysaccharide-modified liposomes, highlighting recent advancements in their design, synthesis, and therapeutic applications. The utilization of polysaccharides as surface modifiers has been demonstrated to have several notable effects on liposomes. These effects include the enhancement of liposome properties, the provision of “stealth” properties, and the augmentation of colloidal stability. This review provides a comprehensive, polysaccharide-oriented analysis of liposomal surface modification strategies, along with a novel focus on the correlation between polysaccharide structure, modification method, and the resulting physicochemical and biological performance of the designed hybrid liposomes across a wide range of applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Translational Advances in Polysaccharide-Based Materials: Bridging Pharmacy, Biomedicine, and Engineering)
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