Polymeric biomaterials have become central to translational nanomedicine, bridging molecular design with clinical applications in drug delivery, gene therapy, and tissue engineering. Their tunable structure, biocompatibility, and functionalization enable precise control over pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and targeted drug release. Natural polymers like chitosan, alginate, and collagen provide inherent bioactivity, while synthetic polymers such as PLGA, PEG, and PCL offer enhanced chemical precision and controlled degradation. Advances in hybrid and stimuli-responsive systems allow site-specific, on-demand release triggered by pH, temperature, redox conditions, or enzymes. Progress in polymer chemistry and nanotechnology has led to multifunctional theranostic platforms that integrate diagnosis and therapy, supporting personalized medicine. Polymeric systems also act as promising non-viral gene delivery vectors and as scaffolds in regenerative medicine, mimicking extracellular matrices to promote tissue repair. However, clinical translation requires addressing challenges related to biocompatibility, immunogenicity, scalability, and regulatory standards. Emerging tools like AI-assisted design and 3D bioprinting are accelerating the development of efficient, customizable polymeric nanomedicines.

Considering the importance of encapsulating liquid agents such as resin monomers within nanofibers, this study aims to investigate the encapsulation of dimethacrylate monomers in polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers using coaxial electrospinning. The findings show that the viscosity ratio of shell-to-core fluids is essential for effective core material encapsulation during coaxial electrospinning. A ratio outside the optimal range can result in beaded fiber morphology. The nanofibers encapsulate 26.9 wt.% and 15.6 wt.% of core content as determined by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and extraction tests, respectively, with an encapsulation efficiency of 36.85%. This study further explores the impact of core-shell nanofibers on the fracture toughness (KIC) of dental resin composites. The findings revealed a significant 29.4% increase in KIC values for the sample reinforced with 5 wt.% nanofibers, compared to the unmodified resin. The incorporation of dimethacrylate monomers into the fibers enhanced interfacial adhesion and improved bonding with the resin matrix, whereas previous studies have focused on impregnating fibrous fillers with the matrix resin. The successful encapsulation of tri-(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) within the nanofibers presents a promising approach for reinforcing resin-based dental restorations, as it is proposed to create a micromechanical interlocking structure along with the matrix resin network upon composite polymerization.

Chronic wounds, particularly those associated with diabetes and infections, remain a significant clinical challenge due to delayed healing and increasing antibiotic resistance. The present study aimed to develop and evaluate a liquid bandage incorporating curcumin-loaded calcium phosphate nanoparticles (CaPNPs) for enhanced wound healing. CaPNPs were synthesized using a co-precipitation method with chitosan as a stabilizer. The optimized formulation exhibited a particle size of 236.9 nm, zeta potential of +19 mV, entrapment efficiency of 78.6%, and PDI of 0.740. The liquid bandage showed suitable physicochemical properties, including pH 5.28, rapid drying time (3–4 min), and good film-forming ability. In vitro drug release studies demonstrated sustained release, with 94.99% ± 0.8% from nanoparticles and 92.12% ± 0.4% from the liquid bandage over 300–420 min. Antimicrobial studies revealed significant activity against Staphylococcus aureus (16 ± 0.5 mm) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14.1 ± 0.3 mm). These findings indicate that the developed system provides a multifunctional platform combining sustained drug delivery, antimicrobial efficacy, and favorable application properties. Therefore, the curcumin-loaded CaPNPs liquid bandage shows promising potential as an advanced topical wound care system.

Chitosan, a natural biopolymer derived from chitin, has gained significant attention as a versatile material for nanocarrier development due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and tunable physicochemical properties. This review highlights the design, challenges, and biomedical applications of chitosan-based nanocarriers, emphasizing their role in advanced drug delivery, diagnostics, and regenerative medicine. Various nanostructures, including nanoparticles, nanogels, and nanofibers, can be fabricated using techniques such as ionic gelation, emulsion-based synthesis, nanoprecipitation, and electrospinning to meet specific therapeutic needs. These systems demonstrate enhanced mucoadhesion, targeted delivery, and the ability to cross biological barriers like the blood–brain barrier, enabling efficient transport of chemotherapeutics, nucleic acids, and vaccines through noninvasive routes. In addition, chitosan exhibits intrinsic antimicrobial properties, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects can be further improved through chemical modification or combination with bioactive agents, expanding its use in wound healing and tissue engineering. However, challenges such as poor solubility at physiological pH, environmental sensitivity, scalability limitations, and regulatory hurdles restrict clinical translation. Approaches including chemical modification, crosslinking, and optimized storage and sterilization have shown promise in enhancing stability. This review integrates design strategies with translational and regulatory considerations, offering a comprehensive and forward-looking perspective.

This study introduces a novel, one-step, extrusion-based printing strategy for fabricating zinc-infused hydrogels composed of oxidized alginate, gelatin, and polydopamine, eliminating the need for post-print crosslinking. The hydrogel forms a tri-modal crosslinked network comprising: (i) covalent Schiff base bonds between oxidized alginate and gelatin; (ii) Zn2+-mediated coordination with alginate carboxylates and PDA catechol groups; and (iii) non-covalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking within the PDA-rich matrix. FTIR analysis confirmed the successful integration of these interactions, with characteristic peaks for C = N stretching (1640 cm−1), metal–ligand coordination (1420 and 1600 cm−1), and broad O–H/N–H absorption (3200–3500 cm−1), validating the tri-modal architecture. This integrated network provided enhanced structural integrity and rapid shape retention, as supported by rheological stability and extrusion performance of the final printed hydrogel. Systematic optimization of the Zn2+:PDA molar ratio identified 2:4 as optimal, achieving superior printability, viscoelasticity, and shear-thinning behavior. The optimized hydrogel (Zn2) exhibited high lap-shear adhesion (20 ± 4.4 kPa), strong antibacterial efficacy (77% against Escherichia coli), notable antioxidant activity (48%), and promoted fibroblast proliferation (128% viability at 72 h). By circumventing post-print treatments, this platform offers a rapid and scalable approach for producing extrusion-printable hydrogels with multifunctional properties, providing a promising basis for further development in tissue engineering applications.

Our skin is constantly subjected to various harmful environmental factors including particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and UV radiations leading to photoaging, photoimmunosupression and photocarcinogenesis encouraging photoprotection. Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) have gained particular prominence in the field of photoprotection. SLNs are biodegradable, biocompatible colloidal systems with particle sizes typically ranging from 1 to 1000 nm. Owing to their intrinsic light-scattering properties, SLNs exhibit notable photoprotective effects, which are further enhanced when combined with conventional sunscreen agents, resulting in a synergistic improvement in efficacy. Beyond superior photoprotection, SLNs offer several additional advantages, including enhanced photostability, strong adhesiveness, favorable viscoelastic properties, and the capacity for controlled drug release. Their compatibility with a diverse range of sunscreen compounds underscores their versatility as a lipidic carrier system. This review consolidates the various benefits of incorporating molecular sunscreens into the lipidic matrix of SLNs, while also addressing their limitations, safety considerations, patentability, and regulatory perspectives. The combination of cosmetic attributes with multifunctional photoprotective effects makes SLNs highly suitable for the development of next-generation sunscreen formulations, particularly when enriched with natural bioactive agents.

Mandibular defects are common in oral and maxillofacial surgery, typically resulting from trauma, tumor resection, infection, or congenital anomalies. Current therapeutic approaches—such as autologous bone grafts, allografts, and synthetic implants—are hindered by limited osteogenic capacity and risks of immune rejection. Chitosan-based hydrogels have emerged as promising scaffolds in bone tissue engineering due to their excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to emulate the extracellular matrix. Magnesium ions (Mg2+) enhance bone regeneration by promoting osteoblast proliferation, differentiation, and extracellular matrix synthesis, while also playing a pivotal role in angiogenesis. However, excessive Mg2+ concentrations may impair osteogenesis, necessitating a controlled-release system. Simultaneously, exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) carry bioactive molecules that modulate cellular responses and facilitate tissue regeneration. This review explores recent advances in chitosan-based hydrogels encapsulating Mg2+ and exosomes, with a focus on their synergistic mechanisms (e.g., coordinated regulation of immunomodulation, angiogenesis, osteogenic differentiation) and mandibular-specific clinical translation strategies (e.g., personalized 3D-printed scaffolds, infection-resistant designs). It also highlights unresolved challenges and future directions to guide translational research in this field.

Migraine is one of the most prevalent and debilitating neurological disorders, characterized by sharp, throbbing head pain, and often accompanied by sensory, gastrointestinal, and autonomic disturbances. Although conventional therapies, such as ergotamine, triptans, and gepants, are available, their therapeutic efficacy is often limited because of the impermeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), systemic side effects, and low bioavailability. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) have emerged as a promising strategy for overcoming these limitations by enhancing drug stability, facilitating delivery across the BBB, improving bioavailability, and reducing enzymatic degradation. This study aimed to explore the potential of SLNs in migraine management. The key evaluation parameters of SLN formulations, such as zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, in vitro release kinetics, drug loading, and polydispersity index, have been discussed in detail. In addition, recent advancements in SLN-based delivery systems, including ligand-functionalized nanoparticles and thermosensitive systems, have been highlighted for their potential to improve the precision and effectiveness of migraine therapy. The current study provides an updated and more focused analysis specifically on SLN-based strategies for migraine, integrating both formulation evaluation and recent technological advancements to offer a comprehensive and current perspective.

A novel ethyl cellulose-sodium alginate/chitosan/curcumin (EC-SA/CS/Cur) composite microgel system was developed through a one-step emulsion method. Optimized homogenization at 1,300 rpm for 2 min enabled consistent fabrication of EC-SA/CS/Cur microgels with a mean particle size of 2.85 μm. The microstructural morphology, particle size distribution, and chemical composition of the optimized EC-SA/CS/Cur microgels were characterized by microscopy, laser particle size analysis, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The microgels exhibited a curcumin encapsulation efficiency of 54.4 ± 6.8% and a drug loading capacity of 0.032 ± 0.004%. The microgels exhibited excellent stability under enzymatic and physiological pH environments while displaying a unique sustained-release profile in ethanol-containing media; under agitated conditions, a cumulative release of 3.2 μg/mL was achieved within 6 h, representing a 28.0% increase in cumulative release compared to static conditions. The minimum inhibitory concentration of EC-SA/CS/Cur microgels was determined as 675 μg/mL; after 3 h of exposure, their antimicrobial efficacy significantly outperformed free curcumin. These results confirm that the EC-SA/CS microgel system acts as an effective delivery vehicle, markedly enhancing curcumin’s antimicrobial performance. This study provides a promising strategy for developing stable, high-efficiency curcumin delivery systems with improved therapeutic potential, particularly for oral/throat protection against alcohol-induced irritation via on-site curcumin release to alleviate local inflammatory damage.

In this study, different shape memory polyurethane (SMPU)-based electrospun nanofibers containing Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were prepared. The shape-memory behavior of these scaffolds enables minimally invasive applications within biological systems, while their magnetic properties enhance the growth, proliferation, and differentiation of the bone cells. SMPU was synthesized via a two-step pre-polymerization method. The effects of MNPs on hydrogen bonding, crystallinity, thermal properties, hydrophilicity, water absorption, and mechanical and shape memory properties of SMPU were investigated. The results revealed that MNPs restricted the hydrogen bonds formation and promoted microphase separation in SMPU hard and soft segments. Moreover, a reduction in the degree of crystallinity of oft segments in the SMPU nanocomposites was observed by the addition of MNPs. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to determine the average diameters and size distributions of the SMPU nanofibers. In addition, the results showed that the prepared electrospun nanofibrous mats have adequate mechanical and shape memory properties for practical biomedical applications. Bioactivity studies indicated that the presence of MNPs could enhance the In-vitro cell cultivation of MG63 bone cells on the nanofibers. These results indicated that the prepared electrospun nanofibers could be utilized as a potential candidate for shape memory-assisted smart wound healing applications.