The Biomaterials and Bio-Inspired Materials section is committed to publishing research centered on the design, fabrication, processing, and deployment of biomaterials and bio-inspired materials for a broad range of functional applications.

Guided by Professor Hafiz Iqbal from The Autonomous University of Nuevo León (UANL), Monterrey, Mexico, the Biomaterials and Bio-Inspired Materials section encourages submissions in various domains of biomaterials and bioinspired materials, which connect the understanding of materials science with biological applications.

Topics considered in the scope of this section include:

materials for cell/drug/gene delivery
materials for implants and prosthetic devices
materials for imaging and sensing devices
scaffolds for tissue engineering
biomedical coatings and antibacterial surfaces
bioactive and cell instructive materials
bio-inspired surface science linking structure to biocompatibility
self-healing materials
superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic surfaces
highly porous materials
bio-inspired adhesion (e.g., gecko-like materials)
self-cleaning materials
responsive materials and actuators (e.g., metal actuators inspired by the movements of jellyfish)
applications of new bio-inspired materials (e.g., synthetic silks, light-harvesting photonic materials that mimic photosynthesis)
3-D Bioprinting and Tissue Engineering Bio-printed Organs and Tissues: Research focuses on scaffolds with bioinspired materials that mimic natural extracellular matrices for organ regeneration
3-D Hydrogels for Regenerative Medicine: Research focuses on bio-inks for 3D printing, with tunable properties to promote injectable hydrogels for functional applications
Microfluidics and Organ-on-Chip: Research focuses on lab-on-a-chip devices that enable precision medicine and drug testing, pushing research in bio-inspired microenvironments
Biodegradable and Bioresorbable Materials Degradable Implants: Research focuses on biodegradable and bioresorbable bioinspired materials designed to degrade over time, eliminating the need for surgical removal
Temporary scaffolds for tissue regeneration: Research focuses on biodegradable scaffolds developed to support tissue regeneration and healing before being naturally absorbed by the body
Biomimetic Materials for Neural Interfaces Neural Tissue Engineering: Biomaterials designed to interface with neurons for brain-machine interfaces, neural regeneration, and neuroprosthetics, thus enabling better integration with neural circuit
Conductive Polymers and Bioelectronics: Research focuses on conductive polymers, like polypyrrole, to develop soft, flexible electronics for neural stimulation and recording, enabling next-gen wearable bioelectronics and brain implants
Bioinspired Mechanomaterials Bioinspired Lightweight Materials: Research focuses on mimicking ultralight but tough materials for biomedical implants and prosthetics
Mechanically Adaptive Materials: Materials that can change based on external mechanical cues, making them useful for soft tissue applications or wearable devices
Immunomodulatory Biomaterials Immunoengineering: Materials that can interact with the immune system to enhance therapeutic outcomes, where they aid in stimulating the body’s own defense mechanisms
Bioinspired Immune-Evasive Materials: Inspired by viruses and biological systems, materials that can evade immune detection or suppress immune reactions for implants, drug delivery systems, and cell therapies
Synthetic Biology in BiomaterialsEngineered Living Materials (ELMs): Living materials that combine synthetic biology with materials science to engineer new interfaces of materials that are self-regulating, adaptive, and capable of complex functions
Microbial Factories for Biomaterial Production: Using engineered bacteria and yeast to produce naturally occurring and green biomaterials for medical and industrial applications
Biomaterials for Personalized Medicine Patient-Specific Implants and Devices: Biomaterials (involving 3D printing and computational modeling) that can be tailored to patient's specific anatomy and pathology
Organoid and Scaffold-based Models: Personalized organoids created from patient cells integrated with biomaterials to test drug responses and customize treatments

Submissions should offer comprehensive, in-depth knowledge about the fundamental aspects of biomaterials and bioinspired materials, particularly concerning structural entities and their relationship to properties, as well as their applications in engineering, healthcare, and other fields.

In particular, the section welcomes submissions which support and advance the biomaterials and bio-inspired materials, focusing on materials for cell/drug/gene delivery, implants and prosthetic devices, imaging and sensing devices, tissue engineering scaffolds, biomedical coatings and antibacterial surfaces, bioactive and cell instructive materials, bio-inspired surface science, self-healing materials, superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic surfaces, highly porous materials, bio-inspired adhesion, self-cleaning materials, responsive materials and actuators, and applications of new bio-inspired materials, contributing to SDGs 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and 15 (Life on land).

The Biomaterials and Bio-Inspired Materials section does not consider manuscripts on biological topics without a materials science component, or manuscripts on materials science without biological applications, as these should be directed to a more suitable journal or section. Research focusing on basic synthesis and superficial characterization, as well as those with a primarily applications-based focus, should also be directed to other related sections. Additionally, submissions focused solely on cellular biology, molecular biology, or microscopy techniques fall outside the scope of this section's focus on materials science and engineering.

This multidisciplinary section is at the forefront of disseminating and communicating cutting-edge scientific knowledge and impactful discoveries in the field of Biomaterials and Bio-Inspired Materials to researchers, industry, policymakers, and the public worldwide.

Anisotropy in Deformable Biomaterials