Composite Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration and Drug Delivery
A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomacromolecules, Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2021) | Viewed by 3521
Special Issue Editors
Interests: polymeric-based bone regenerative therapies; implant-associated infections; nanotechnology; 3D-printed scaffolds; in vitro biomaterials evaluation; drug-release kinetic models; advanced drug delivery systems
Interests: biosynthesis of antimicrobial compounds (e.g., antimicrobial glycolipids) and their LC-MS characterization; functionalization of biomaterial surfaces with biological active molecules; characterization of innovative biomaterials with pharmaceutical/biomedical applications; infections related to the design of platforms to prevent the use of medical devices (e.g., catheters, implants)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The combination of different types of natural or synthetic polymers such as proteins, polysaccharides or poly(α-hydroxy ester) with other materials as bioactive ceramics or bioglasses for the design of more clinically feasible bone scaffolds is growing. This strategy aims to merge the desirable properties of the different materials to improve scaffolds’ key parameters for their successful use, such as their mechanical stability, pore size, interconnectivity, and tissue interaction. Moreover, these composite scaffolds are being engineered as advanced delivery platforms for the local release of hormones, growth factors, and drugs emerging as multifunctional 3D structures. Nanotechnology is also being explored enabling the combination of nanostructures as liposomes or polymeric nanoparticles, aiming to expand scaffolds’ biofunctional properties and therapeutic activity.
Along with the multiple choice of materials, conventional scaffold fabrication techniques such as solvent-casting, particulate-leaching, and fiber mesh/fiber bonding are being replaced by additive manufacturing methods such as selective laser sintering, fused deposition modeling, and electron beam melting to circumvent some of the problems identified in first-generation scaffolds. Presently, the conjugation of computed tomography or magnetic resonance methods with sophisticated 3D-printing methodologies seeks the customization of scaffold size and shape to fit the defect region of each patient.
Along with intense research in the field, composite scaffold design and characterization is extremely challenging, relying on multidisciplinary knowledge, and multiple obstacles must be faced before their translation to the clinics, including regulation/safety issues.
This Special Issue aims to provide an update and discussion of the most exciting trends in the field regarding design, production, characterization, properties, and biological functions, as well as applications in the design of new treatments, highlighting the immense potential for creating next-generation multifunctional composite scaffolds that will open a new path for patient-oriented bone tissue engineering and target drug delivery approaches.
Assist. Prof. Ana Bettencourt
Assist. Prof. Isabel Ribeiro
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. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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.
Keywords
- Additive manufacturing;
- 3D printing;
- Robocasting
- Bone regeneration; tissue engineering; bioprinting
- Drug release systems; local targeting; controlled drug release
- Composite scaffolds; polymers; ceramics; bioglasses; metals; nanostructures
- Growth factors; antibiotics; hormones; drugs; chemotherapy
- Hierarchical structure; mechanical properties; rheology
- Osteogenic differentiation; biocompatibility
