Themed collection Nanoscale Biomaterials

Guest editors Jordan J. Green and Jason A. Burdick introduce this Journal of Materials Chemistry B themed issue on nanoscale biomaterials.

A review of amphiphilic copolymers that phase separate on the nanometer-scale to create coatings that prevent biofouling.

The development of safe and effective vaccines for the prevention of elusive infectious diseases remains a public health priority.

Polymer-based nanogel formulations offer features attractive for drug delivery, including ease of synthesis, controllable swelling and viscoelasticity as well as drug loading and release characteristics, passive and active targeting, and the ability to formulate nanogel carriers that can respond to biological stimuli.

This update summarizes the recent advances in combinatorial design of polymeric material for developing multifunctional nanovectors to deliver nucleic acids and chemodrugs for cancer therapy.

Schematic illustrates the formation of LbL coatings using different methods. (A) Electrostatic interactions; (B) Hydrogen bonding; or (C) Biological interactions.

Hydrogel mats with increased thickness and porosity were achieved by pairing high humidity electrospinning with post-processing ultra-sonication, and they show promise for the design of cell-permeable nanofibrous scaffolds for tissue-engineering applications.

Y-27632 enhances the transfection efficiencies of various polyplexes or lipoplexes in hESCs via increased membrane exposure through transient spreading of the cells.

lPEI-g-PEG/DNA nanoparticles transform their shape from worm-like to condensed spheres and short rods following cleavage of PEG chains.

Aligned nanofibrous substrates were organized into multilamellar structures using macroscopic assembly through guest–host interactions of modified fibers and polymer chains.

Collagen mimetic peptides (CMP)s were used to tailor release vs. retention of DNA polyplexes from collagen while preserving polyplex activity.

Mn-zoledronate NCP carries 63 wt% of zoledronate for cancer therapy and 13 wt% of Mn²⁺ for T₁-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.

A novel synthesis of dextran coated bismuth–iron oxide nanoparticles (BION) is reported. They are found to be effective as contrast agents for both CT and MRI and to be both biodegradable and biocompatible.

Hyperbranched functionalized polymers, coated onto capsules in a covalent layer-by-layer manner, provide a facile platform for modulation of hydrogel permselectivity and stability.

A gold nanoparticle system was developed which is capable of monitoring both delivered stem cells and infiltrating macrophages in vivo using photoacoustic imaging.

Engineering cell membranes with molecular probes enables studying the orientation and permeability of cell membrane-derived nanoparticles.

Polyelectrolyte complex micelles have great potential as gene delivery vehicles because of their ability to encapsulate charged nucleic acids forming a core by neutralizing their charge, while simultaneously protecting the nucleic acids from non-specific interactions and enzymatic degradation.

A unique nanoparticle delivery system is reported for on-demand antibiotic release to locally and effectively treat bacterial infection.

Core–shell PLGA/PLLA polymer microspheres sustained 2 weeks in vivo bupivacaine release, providing extended postoperative analgesia without infection or joint damage.

An enhanced throughput, 3D scaffold platform can be used to screen for the influence of mineral coating properties on stem cell transfection.

Protein polymer nanoparticles decorated with the mitogenic human tear protein, lacritin, heal a defect in the corneal epithelium faster than a soluble control peptide.

A multi-responsive oligopeptide-based hydrogel system with synthetic feasibility and potential for functionalization provided a platform for intelligent bio-functional and bio-responsive materials.

Nonviral gene therapy has high potential for safely promoting tissue restoration and for treating various genetic diseases.

Complex genetic mutations are common in brain cancer, making gene therapy an attractive approach to repair or modulate altered genes and cellular pathways.