Biopolymer Gels as Smart Drug Delivery and Theranostic Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Biopolymers are a class of polymers generated from plants and animals that perform a wide range of functions. In recent years, biopolymer-hydrogel-based research has grown in importance, drawing significant attention in the field of polymer chemistry regarding its prospective use for drug delivery platforms and theranostic applications. Biocompatibility and biodegradability are crucial requirements for biomedical applications. Biopolymeric hydrogels are gaining popularity in healthcare and biotechnology fields. Biopolymer hydrogels are extensively utilized in the biomedical industry because of their physical resemblance to natural tissues. They are particularly useful in the administration of drug, theranostic, and tissue engineering applications. The swelling capacity of biopolymer-based hydrogels is especially appealing since it allows them to absorb and retain a substantial amount of water and biological media, rendering them an ideal choice for use in administering drugs and theranostic applications. Furthermore, the hydrogels' unique porous network structure allows for optimized drug loading and controlled release characteristics under certain biological stimulation settings to improve theranostic efficiency.

This Special Issue theme focuses on the advancement of biopolymer-based hydrogel technology, highlighting its accomplishments in various fields such as drug delivery and theranostics, as well as emphasizing new challenges and opportunities. The research community is invited to submit original research articles, communications, and review papers on emerging strategies in the design, development, and applications of biopolymer-based hydrogel materials in a wide range of fields, including drug delivery, theranostics, and other relevant biomedical fields.

Dr. Madhappan Santhamoorthy
Prof. Dr. Seongcheol Kim
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• biopolymers
• hydrogels
• drug delivery
• stimuli responsive
• self-assembly
• biopolymeric hydrogels
• tissue engineering
• wound dressing
• multifunctional hydrogels
• cancer therapy
• tissue engineering
• soft materials
• composite hydrogels
• theranostics
• micro/nanogels