Advances in hydrogels and engineered drug delivery systems have significantly impacted medicine since 1995, when Doxil, the first FDA-approved liposomal formulation, was introduced for cancer therapy. More recently, nanotechnology-based mRNA vaccines have been approved to prevent COVID-19 infections. These milestones continue to inspire efforts to expand such approaches to medical areas that remain underexplored. Nanocarriers further enhance drug delivery systems by improving pharmacokinetics and biodistribution, increasing solubility and stability, and enabling controlled release. A key advantage of nanocarriers is their ability to optimize the therapeutic effect of low drug dosages through site-specific release, which can be achieved using stimuli-responsive biomaterials engineered to respond to internal triggers, such as intracellular oxidation, temperature, and pH, or to external cues, including ultrasound and light.
Despite impressive progress in the field, many medical conditions remain largely underexplored, limiting the full potential of hydrogels and nano-based drug delivery systems to develop real-world clinical solutions. Each disease presents unique obstacles. The local microenvironment, specific biomarkers, and biological barriers all influence how these systems must be designed to achieve meaningful therapeutic effects. Effectiveness relies on carefully tailoring carriers for size, shape, active targeting, stability, biodistribution, biocompatibility, and clearance. Beyond these design considerations, crucial questions remain regarding interactions with the immune system, long-term safety, and the translation of laboratory findings into practical therapies, highlighting significant opportunities for innovation and discovery.
To address these scientific challenges, this Research Topic invites cutting-edge contributions that push the boundaries of biomaterial innovation. We welcome novel hydrogel and nano-based designs, advanced characterization methods, and sophisticated in vitro and in vivo models that expand therapeutic, diagnostic, and theranostic applications. By integrating perspectives from materials science, pharmacology, and biomedical engineering, this collection highlights strategies that accelerate the translation of hydrogels and drug delivery systems into real-world medical solutions. From infectious diseases to genetic disorders, with particular emphasis on underexplored areas such as neglected tropical diseases, rare genetic conditions, and chronic inflammatory or autoimmune disorders, we aim to showcase transformative research that broadens the clinical impact of these technologies and inspires the next wave of breakthroughs.
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