Themed collection 2016 Journal of Materials Chemistry B Most Accessed Manuscripts

The field of microneedle sensors is reviewed discussing current trends and future applications.

Surface engineering of carbon dots and their applications in targeting sensing, accurate drug delivery and high resolution bioimaging are highlighted.

Pluripotent stem cell derived liver cells (hepatocytes) represent a promising alternative to primary tissue for biological and clinical applications.

Graphene scaffolds are highly promising candidates in the versatile physicochemical stimulated proliferation/differentiation of neural stem cells required in future regenerative nanomedicine.

We introduce recent advances in the design of bioinspired micro/nanostructures and 2D/3D structures for the enhancement of energy harvesting and multifunctional sensing properties of flexible electronic skins.

Nanostructure-based SERS platforms have been developed for nucleic acid and protein detection ranging from label-free, labeled and multiplex analyses.

Materials engineered to display immunomodulatory molecules including adhesion ligands, cytokines, and self-proteins, target receptors on immune cells to modulate their response to biomaterial implants.

Development of polymer prodrug conjugates has evolved recently in the nano-medicine field for cancer diagnosis and treatment. This review focuses on the development of different types of PEG based polymer drug conjugates used for the delivery of anti-cancer agents.

The elasticity of the extracellular matrix has been increasingly recognized as a dominating factor of cell fate and activities. This review provides an overview of the general principles and recent advances in the field of matrix elasticity-dependent regulation of a variety of cellular activities and functions, the underlying biomechanical and molecular mechanisms, as well as the pathophysiological implications.

Photoresponsive azobenzene–cyclodextrin guest–host chemistry can be used to control the release rate of a small peptide from a PEG hydrogel with light.

MoS₂ quantum dots with two-photon fluorescence features are synthesized through a one-step solvothermal approach and successfully used for cellular bioimaging.

Green carbon dots with a carboxyl-rich surface were employed as a selective nanocarrier for fluorescent traceable and pH-sensitive Doxorubicin delivery in localized cancer treatment.

A novel amperometric biosensor for glucose detection was fabricated based on a mimetic multi-enzyme system by combing mimetic enzymes (metal–organic frameworks, MOFs) and glucose oxidase (GOx).

Mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA), with its advanced bio-adhesive properties, has shown great potential in drug delivery based on host–guest interaction.

Cytocompatible carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) having high quantum yield and multicolour bioimaging properties were synthesized and employed as sensitive, selective and rapid dual sensor for Pd²⁺ and Hg²⁺.

A reduction-responsive fluorescence off–on theranostic prodrug with self-reporting drug release was constructed based on boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) and therapeutic drug camptothecin (CPT) with a long flexible disulfide linker.

In this work, methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) based hydrogels were fabricated with carboxybetaine methacrylate (CBMA) to manipulate the properties of the gelatin-based hydrogels, since CBMA is a much smaller compound compared to gelatin.

We describe a straightforward tactic to boost the inherently low peroxidase-like activity of the heme-protein equine cytochrome c following its electrostatic assembly onto the carbon nanodot surface.

Stimuli-responsive smart hydrogels have been exploited for various applications, including as biomaterials with environment-dependent changes in hydrophobicity, stiffness or volume.

The biomimetic GelMA scaffolds which have highly porous, interconnected macropores, and rough surface could promote ADSC to differentiate into osteoblasts and bone formation.

Magneto-responsive separation membrane: reversible change of molecule sieving through pore-confined polymeric hydrogel network by remote control of immobilized “nano heaters” with alternating magnetic field.

In situ multicomponent hydrogelator formation enables straightforward chemical functionalisation of supramolecular hydrogels.

The self-healable polysiloxane elastomers cross-linked with DA bonds show high healing efficiency, good mechanical properties and good biocompatibility.

Keratin based biomaterials have emerged as potential candidates for various biomedical and biotechnological applications due to their intrinsic biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical durability, and natural abundance.

Metastable amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), formed as a precursor of crystalline carbonated apatite/hydroxyapatite in human bone, can be stabilized by inorganic polyphosphate. The resulting CaCO₃/polyP, containing small amounts of vaterite, has osteogenic potential and potential application as a scaffold material for bone implants.

Carbon dots (CDs) with a high quantum yield of 46% are prepared using a green one-pot approach under microwaves with silkworm chrysalis which has been used for cell imaging.

Peptide-mediated solution phase graphene exfoliation.

Metal–organic framework-based peroxidase mimetics for enzyme-inhibitor screening.

Protein-modified hollow copper sulfide nanoparticles carrying indocyanine green (ICG) facilitate combined therapeutic effects including photothermal therapy of CuS nanocarriers and cytotoxic effects of photodynamic and photothermal therapy by ICG.

The currently available photosensitizers (PSs) for photodynamic therapy (PDT) can easily lead to undesirable normal cell death due to their intrinsic photo-toxicity and lack of selectivity for cancer cells.