Themed collection Journal of Materials Chemistry B HOT Papers

Microneedles (MNs) offer a minimally invasive transdermal platform for immunomodulation. This review summarizes recent advances in immunomodulatory MN strategies for diabetic wound healing.

The preparation techniques of materials profoundly define their properties, which in turn shape their biomedical functionalities. And conversely, evolving application demands feed back to drive innovations and iterations in preparation technologies.

Iodine has been widely used in the biomedical field for its broad-spectrum antibacterial potential, strong oxidation ability, and excellent biocompatibility.

A comprehensive overview of recent advancements in fluorescence imaging techniques for in situ sensing of various biomarkers, emphasizing the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in shaping the future of bioimaging.

Magnetically-responsive fibers embedded within hydrogels enable spatial and temporal control over fiber alignment via the application of a magnetic field. These materials could mimic the complex spatiotemporal organization of fibers within tissues.

We have developed self-assembled nanoparticles (BODIPY₄-PEG NPs) that exhibit excellent imaging performance and photothermal conversion efficiency.

A light-driven molecular motor-polypeptide conjugate links a molecular motor to a mitochondria-targeted polyglutamate. Upon 405 nm light irradiation, it shifts from micelles to worm-like structures, boosting cellular uptake and specificity.

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based hydrogels are brittle and bioinert. Incorporating a bioactive self-assembling tryptophan zipper (trpzip) peptide during polymerization enhanced bioactivity, durability and self-healing properties.

Development of shape memory scaffolds for localised chemotherapy and enhanced osteogenic regeneration after bone cancer resection.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is widely used to save patients with severe respiratory failure.

Reconstructing inflammatory bone defects using stem cell-based therapy faces challenges posed by the oxidative stress microenvironment.

Here, we report a croconium-functionalized macrophage biomimetic retention vesicle system (Cro-CDs@MM) that kills S. aureus under NIR light, scavenges ROS, promotes wound healing and offers an antibiotic-free therapy for infected wounds.

We propose a nanoplatform (CuS@GOx@ES) integrating chemotherapy (CDT), starvation therapy (ST), photothermal therapy (PTT), and copper-induced toxicity for enhanced cancer treatment.

A biocompatible HKUST-1/chitosan aerogel enables efficient bilirubin removal and antibacterial action for blood purification in liver failure.

Lead compound KD01, an asymmetric pyridinium-based fluorescent probe, exhibits a large Stokes shift and selectively labels live human neural stem/progenitor cells, offering a promising tool for stem cell imaging and neural lineage identification.

An injectable agarose–hyaluronic acid composite hydrogel enhances skin hydration, restores dermal structure, and effectively repairs photoaged skin.

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) significantly enhance the antibacterial activity of antibiotics and even restore their effect against resistant strains, making them a promising option for overcoming bacterial resistance to antibiotics.

A novel near-infrared solid-state probe is constructed for monitoring carbon monoxide in mice with cholestatic liver injury and toxic hepatitis.

BODIPY-based probes P1/P2 provide environment-sensitive fluorescence imaging and quantification of lipid droplets from cells to human atherosclerotic plaques, uncovering vascular region-specific lipid microenvironment heterogeneity.

A soft actuator enabling facile integration of multi-stimuli responsiveness. A universal strategy for designing soft actuators with multi-responsiveness, programmable deformation, and ultrafast actuation.

Modular four-arm PDI enhances radical stability and enables hypoxia-induced, tumor-specific photothermal therapy.

Structural tuning of thienoisoindigo copolymers enables aggregation-enhanced emission and record-high near-infrared brightness yielding scalable, biocompatible nanoparticle emitters optimized for in vivo imaging.

A zwitterionic dual-network hydrogel patch (GPSB), combining a gelatin-metal polyphenol network and a polysulfobetaine network, shows strong antifouling, antibacterial, and healing effects, effectively preventing peritoneal adhesion post-surgery.

Copper–manganese nanogel (CMNG) enables T₁ MRI-guided photothermal/chemodynamic therapy. It offers high r₁ relaxivity (11.18 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹) and photothermal efficiency (23.29%), synergistically generating •OH for tumor ablation.

We developed PAMAM-G4@EG, a multifunctional nanotherapeutic platform that integrates biofilm dissipation, bactericidal activity, collagen protection and remineralization mechanisms.

This study presents a Ca/P-mineralized PVA/IK3 double-network hydrogel that enables sustained peptide release, improved mechanical strength, and prolonged antibacterial activity, showing promise for chronic wound treatment.

Mechanical strain is introduced as a programmable cue to regulate hydrogel degradation in situ, enabling next-generation scaffold development for controlled drug release and tissue remodeling.

Bis-allylic hydrogen atoms of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in biological membranes are major initiation sites of ferroptosis.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics hold significant potential across a wide range of medical applications.

A novel extended-release lithium formulation to improve bipolar disorder treatment is reported. Lithium ion incorporation into metal-phenolic networks extends the release time fivefold and prevents toxic concentrations from being reached in serum.

We have developed a versatile oxidation-responsive nanoparticle system that delivers coenzyme Q₁₀ to sites of tissue injury and achieves potent protection against hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Fe³⁺ ions were used as cross-linkers to drive assembly process for forming metal–phenolic network nanoparticle-loaded hydrogel via a fast and eco-friendly one-step synthesis method, which can be applied in tumor photothermal-immunotherapy.

The development of orlistat–dopamine conjugated micelles as a nanocarrier for camptothecin to achieve synergistic combination chemotherapy with enhanced cancer cell targeting, uptake and two-stage cytotoxicity.

The abundant secretion of hyaluronic acid (HA) by tumor cells attenuates oxidative damage induced by H₂O₂. Rib@Lip enhances the oxidative injury mediated by H₂O₂@Lip through ribavirin-mediated inhibition of HA synthesis.

pH-Responsive BM-DOX@BSA NPs are innovatively developed integrating Bi-enhanced radiosensitization, Mn-driven hypoxia alleviation, pH-triggered DOX release, and CT imaging for synergistic image-guided radiotherapy with tumor suppression.

A multifunctional hydrogel with robust mechanical sealing and antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and tissue-healing properties improves anastomotic healing. This multi-faceted strategy is both scientifically innovative and clinically relevant.

The developed liposomes offer a novel strategy to overcome the polycation dilemma by improving mucus permeation and cellular uptake. Enzymatic activation triggers a surface charge shift to positive, enhancing interaction with epithelial cells.

Nanocomposites (SPMG) are developed for NIR-II light-mediated photothermal-chemodynamic combinatorial therapy.

A topological diagram of a NM layered structure. Dielectrics filled with different colors represent the overall structure.

Synthesis and application of the NATA@ZnO-Z in fungal keratitis.

Schematic illustration of IR@BP-L nanoplatform activating immunity via PDT-mediated pyroptosis synergistic with an immune agonist.

Myocardial infarction (MI), a common and severe disease threatening human health worldwide, results from ischemic and hypoxic-induced necrosis of cardiac tissue due to coronary artery obstruction or rupture.

Easy-to-synthesize, completely biodegradable, and biocompatible hyperbranched polymers that can be crosslinked to construct sustainable polymeric gel materials and nanomaterials free of biosafety concerns for extensive biomedical applications.

A copolymerization method is proposed to fabricate antimicrobial agents using two functional modules of photosensitizers and quaternary phosphonium blocks.

Green-synthesized RESV–¹⁹⁸AuNP enable sustainable immunomodulation, selective prostate tumor cellular targeting, and favorable in vivo biodistribution. β (0.96 MeV) emission reprograms M2 to M1 macrophages and induces potent tumor volume reduction.

The LC–aqueous interface detected membrane order across mycobacterial layers, lipidome changes during dormancy, and AMP-induced disruption, highlighting its potential for point-of-care diagnostics and therapies.

A natural polymer-based composite hydrogel dressing with a dynamic and nondynamic synergy network was fabricated. Mechanical robustness as well as excellent self-healing and antibacterial properties were integrated into the hydrogel dressing.

Traditional tumor treatments focus on treating the location of the lesion, while immunogenic cell death (ICD) triggers systemic anti-tumor immunity and inhibits tumor metastasis.

Fiber-reinforced zwitterionic elastomer composites have been developed for application in artificial heart valves, integrating exceptional anticoagulant and antifouling properties with anisotropic mechanical characteristics.

A 3D-bioprinted scaffold containing fibroblasts and DRG neurons was developed to investigate PNS regeneration. This model supports neurite outgrowth and provides a platform for personalized therapies targeting neuropathic pain and sensory dysfunction.

To prevent PJI, PVA–TP–CA/Cu@TC4 was obtained by constructing a micro–nano structure on TC4 and loading a PVA gel coating, which exhibited enhanced biofunctional properties, including antibacterial, angiogenesis, and osteogenic activities.

A novel highly transparent and elastic decellularized swim bladder corneal scaffold was prepared by dehydration and cross-linking. Its optical properties, mechanical properties, stability and biocompatibility were characterized.

L-RM1@¹⁰B-CD mediated boron neutron capture therapy induces immune state transition, DNA damage, and ferroptosis in prostate cancer tissue.

This study explores F incorporation in enamel via PIGE, NEXAFS, and Raman spectroscopy, integrating experimental/simulated spectra. Machine Learning boosts data interpretation, offering key insights into F delivery for clinical application.

The designed all-in-one SNAs anchored with ice-cream probes achieve three functions: (i) enhanced AMACR conversion efficiency; (ii) promoted rolling circle amplification efficiency; and (iii) improved CRISPR/Cas12a activation efficiency.

We newly fabricated molecularly imprinted hydrogels (MIHs) with a fluorescent monomer. The MIHs showed a remarkable increase in fluorescence upon adsorption of the target protein, demonstrating high selectivity compared to other proteins.

A dye-sensitized upconversion nanoprobe was developed for the specific detection of Hcy. It exhibits excellent sensitivity and rapid response and has been applied to the quantitative detection of Hcy in serum as well as cell-specific imaging.

Dual-laser triggered carrier-free self-assembly nano-photosensitizers (Ir-TCF₃P-FA NPs) with trimodal imaging performance significantly inhibited the progression of human cervical cancer through synergistic photothermal/ferroptosis therapy.

SCAPs-NV were reversibly loaded into tannic acid–Fe³-modified decellularized diaphragm tendons. The composite scaffolds showed dual functions: promoting osteogenic differentiation and angiogenesis.

Integrating additionally empowered polyphenol-based nanodots into a multifunctional hydrogel system via iminoboronates has achieved powerful PDT efficacy against tumors.

A schematic overview of the FL probe HD-ALP designed for dynamic tracking of ALP activity in the different ovarian cells and models.

Traditional fluorescent proteins, based on genetic encoding and expression, have introduced biocompatible fluorescent labeling analysis methods at the cellular and organismal levels, becoming an essential research tool in life sciences.

We report a novel mitochondria-targeting fluorescence probe for monitoring viscosity, enabling accurate diagnosis and rapid detection of fatty liver disease.

This work develops a customizable 32P hydrogel applicator for brachytherapy of skin hemangioma based on machine learning and 3D-printing, which demonstrates great practical potentials and can inspire the design of precision medical system.

This study presents a convenient and effective strategy for the synthesis of functional poly-β-peptides with diverse side-chain structures, to obtain a host defense peptide mimicking poly-β-peptide with potent antimicrobial activity.