The arena of biodegradable biomaterials is an exciting frontier in soft tissue engineering and implantable medical device design. These materials provide essential temporary mechanical support, facilitate tissue regeneration, and safely degrade within the body. Despite advancements in polymer chemistry, surface modification, and innovative manufacturing processes like electrospinning and 4D printing, significant challenges remain. Current materials grapple with issues such as maintaining mechanical integrity during healing, controlling degradation rates, ensuring biointegration, and preventing adverse host responses. As healthcare pivots towards a patient-specific, minimally invasive approach, new biodegradable biomaterials offer a transformative route to enhanced clinical outcomes, reduced complications, and sustainable device design.

The primary aim of this Research Topic is to address existing limitations in biodegradable biomaterials by integrating mechanical performance, biocompatibility, and controlled degradation into solutions tailored specifically for soft tissue engineering and implantable devices. The focus lies in overcoming the challenges of current materials, such as insufficient mechanical stability and unpredictable degradation kinetics, while maximizing biointegration and minimizing host response risks. This entails innovative exploration of new polymer formulations, composite materials, surface functionalization, and advanced fabrication practices to develop materials that match patient-specific requirements. Through a blend of experimental research, computational modeling, and clinical translation, this Research Topic aspires to merge materials innovation with healthcare practicalities, leading to personalized, functional biodegradable devices.

To gather deeper insights in expanding biodegradable biomaterials for soft tissue engineering and implantable devices, we welcome articles encompassing the following themes:

- Development of innovative biodegradable polymers and hybrid materials with customizable mechanical and degradation features.
- Cutting-edge manufacturing techniques like melt electrowriting and additive manufacturing for bespoke scaffolds and implants.
- Enhancing biofunctionalization and surface modification for better cell interaction and tissue integration.
- Employing computational models to optimize design and predict in vivo behaviors.
- Conducting preclinical and clinical evaluations to assess safety, efficacy, and long-term benefits.

We seek contributions from multidisciplinary teams within materials science, biomedical engineering, and clinical research aiming to translate foundational innovation into tangible healthcare applications, improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Next-Generation Biodegradable Biomaterials for Soft Tissue Engineering and Implantable Devices