Antibacterial Biomaterials

The section is devoted to disseminating knowledge about studies of, or including, antibacterial and antifungal agents. Antimicrobial activity is broadly described as a material's capacity to prevent or mitigate microbial growth, reduce its number, or directly kill the microbes.

The section welcomes the submission of papers to unravel the synthesis and application of novel biomaterials (including peptides, proteins, biopolymers, etc.) with antimicrobial activities. Basic requirements include MIC studies, solubility, protein binding, and tolerability (mammalian cell toxicity) associated with the biomaterial. Priority is given to antimicrobials with target-specific mechanisms against microbial cells but not mammalian cells.

Papers with conventional biomaterials are only encouraged for submission if they provide emerging new applications or solid-phase antimicrobial mechanisms to elucidate any antimicrobial effects as supported by microscopic and/or spectroscopic evidence. Similarly, papers based on conventional biomaterials such as chitosan, poly‐ε‐lysine, polyethylenimine, polyguanidine, alginate, starch-based polymers, etc., are not considered unless they are functionalized with quaternary ammonium compounds, antibiotics (beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones, glycopeptides, aminoglycosides, etc.), N-halamines, N-chloramines, and other biomolecules with antimicrobial activity. Invitation for submission is also extended to physical and chemical methods that can modify the surface properties of conventional or novel biomaterials to confer antimicrobial activity. Metal nanomaterials, unless they form composites with biomolecules/biomaterials, are considered out of the scope of JFB.

Conducting polymers or other synthesized polymers must also be functionalized to have antimicrobial properties. The section is open to submissions demonstrating the development of nanocomposite biomaterials incorporating nanoparticles (metal oxides, metals, and non-metals) and carbon dots with antimicrobial action.