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Gels
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Gels for Biomedical Applications
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Gels for Biomedical Applications

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Chemistry and Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 September 2025 | Viewed by 6569

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Joaquim Suñer-Carbó

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: semisolid formulations; emulsions; rheology; dispersed systems; topical drug delivery systems; gels; nanomedicine; drug permeation
Dr. Helena Colom-Codina

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: semisolid formulations; emulsions; dispersed systems; topical drug delivery systems; gels; nanomedicine; nanocarriers; drug permeation; pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamic drug evaluation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Gels play a pivotal role in biomedical applications due to their unique physical properties and versatile capabilities such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and adaptability to different environments. These three-dimensional polymeric crosslinked networks resemble natural tissues and are extensively used in drug delivery, tissue engineering, wound healing, and diagnostics. Gels can be designed to release drugs in a controlled manner, and tailoring their composition allows us to control biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical properties, which are crucial for specific applications.

Hydrogels contain high water content resembling native tissue and are commonly employed for controlled drug release and wound dressings. In situ forming gels offer minimally invasive delivery, while smart gels respond to physiological changes for on-demand drug release. Scaffold-like gels promote cell growth in tissue engineering. However, challenges like mechanical fragility and inconsistent performance under physiological conditions still require attention. Advances in material science continue to enhance gel design, fuelling their significance in creating effective biomedical solutions with improved patient outcomes.

This Special Issue focuses on recent research in innovative material design, resulting in improved gel properties, stability, and functionality in the biomedical field. We welcome contributions tackling gel development, characterization, and evaluation.

Dr. Joaquim Suñer-Carbó
Dr. Helena Colom-Codina
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 2100 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

  • gels
  • hydrogels
  • smart gels
  • in situ gels
  • biomedical applications
  • drug delivery
  • tissue engineering
  • wound healing

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 6165 KiB  
Article
Injectable Chitosan Hydrogel Particles as Nasal Packing Materials After Endoscopic Sinus Surgery for Treatment of Chronic Sinusitis
by Yusuke Yamashita, Kei Hosoya, Yukio Fujiwara, Yoichi Saito, Masahiro Yoshida, Shoji Matsune, Kimihiro Okubo and Takayuki Takei
Gels 2025, 11(1), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11010060 - 11 Jan 2025
Viewed by 521
Abstract
After endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), nasal packing is often used to stop bleeding and promote wound healing. Because maintaining a moist environment is important to enhance wound healing, hydrogel-based wound dressings are effective to promote wound healing. Chitosan is used in the medical [...] Read more.
After endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), nasal packing is often used to stop bleeding and promote wound healing. Because maintaining a moist environment is important to enhance wound healing, hydrogel-based wound dressings are effective to promote wound healing. Chitosan is used in the medical field because of its high hemostatic and wound healing properties. We developed a pH-neutral and non-toxic chitosan hydrogel, which was difficult to achieve using conventional methods. In this study, we show in animal experiments that the chitosan hydrogel (hydrogel particles) had higher wound healing properties than a commercially available solid wound dressing (dry state) composed of the same polymer. Additionally, we applied the injectable chitosan hydrogel particles as nasal packing materials to patients with bilateral chronic sinusitis undergoing ESS in a pilot clinical study. Concerning symptom scores, though the results narrowly missed statistical differences (p < 0.05), the average scores of our chitosan hydrogel were superior to those of a commercially available wound dressing (especially p = 0.09 for nasal bleeding). These findings suggest that the injectable chitosan hydrogel could be a viable option as a packing material following ESS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Biomedical Applications)
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19 pages, 3641 KiB  
Article
In Situ Aqueous Spice Extract-Based Antifungal Lock Strategy for Salvage of Foley’s Catheter Biofouled with Candida albicans Biofilm Gel
by Bindu Sadanandan, Vaniyamparambath Vijayalakshmi, Kalidas Shetty, Adithya Rathish, Harshala Shivkumar, Malavika Gundreddy, Nikhil Kumar Kagganti Narendra and Nethra Machamada Devaiah
Gels 2025, 11(1), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11010023 - 1 Jan 2025
Viewed by 584
Abstract
Candida forms a gel-like biofilm in the Foley’s catheter (FC) causing tenacious biofouling and severe urinary tract infections (UTIs). For the first time, a spice extract-based antifungal lock therapy (ALT) has been developed to inhibit the Candida albicans gel matrix in FC. Aqueous [...] Read more.
Candida forms a gel-like biofilm in the Foley’s catheter (FC) causing tenacious biofouling and severe urinary tract infections (UTIs). For the first time, a spice extract-based antifungal lock therapy (ALT) has been developed to inhibit the Candida albicans gel matrix in FC. Aqueous extracts of garlic, clove, and Indian gooseberry were used as ALT lock solutions and tested against biofilm-forming multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of C. albicans. Reduction in the gel matrices formation in the catheter was confirmed by Point inoculation, MTT assay, CFU, and SEM analysis at 12 and 24 h of incubation. Garlic was effective in controlling both C. albicans M207 and C. albicans S470; however, clove and gooseberry effectively controlled the latter. As evidenced by CFU assay, there were 82.85% and 99.68% reductions in the growth of C. albicans M207 and S470, respectively, at 24 h of incubation. SEM revealed a switch from the biofilm to the yeast mode and a drastic reduction in cell numbers, with mostly clumped or lysed cells. The study will provide an impetus to the development of novel spice extract-based ALT, reducing the selection pressure on the pathogen and lowering antimicrobial resistance. Further research in this area has the potential to leverage clinical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Biomedical Applications)
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17 pages, 2391 KiB  
Article
Development of an Emulgel for the Effective Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis: Biocompatibility and Clinical Investigation
by Almudena Gómez-Farto, Ana Leticia Jiménez-Escobar, Noelia Pérez-González, Herminia Castán, Beatriz Clares, Salvador Arias-Santiago and Trinidad Montero-Vílchez
Gels 2024, 10(6), 370; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10060370 - 27 May 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2214
Abstract
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common dermatological disease affecting both children and adults. No drug-free emulgel has been developed and studied in vitro and in vivo for the treatment of AD. The aim of this study was to develop and assess the efficacy [...] Read more.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common dermatological disease affecting both children and adults. No drug-free emulgel has been developed and studied in vitro and in vivo for the treatment of AD. The aim of this study was to develop and assess the efficacy of a topical emulgel containing hyaluronic acid, glycerol, Calendula officinalis, Aloe vera, polyphenols and EGF for the concomitant treatment in patients with AD aged over 14. Objective skin barrier function parameters were included, such as transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin temperature, pH, stratum corneum hydration, skin elasticity and erythema. The subjective opinion of the patients was determined including acceptability, absorption, comfort of use and tolerability, as well as the degree of improvement in patients’ quality of life. We observed an improvement in the subjective parameters studied and statistically significant differences in the objective parameters. Specifically, we found an improvement in TEWL (p = 0.006), erythema (p = 0.008) and hydration (p < 0.001), parameters indicating an improvement in the epidermal barrier. One hundred per cent of patients were satisfied with the product. Therefore, these results suggest that the product may contribute to the treatment of AD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Biomedical Applications)
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18 pages, 4236 KiB  
Article
Hydrogel of Thyme-Oil-PLGA Nanoparticles Designed for Skin Inflammation Treatment
by Camila Folle, Natalia Díaz-Garrido, Mireia Mallandrich, Joaquim Suñer-Carbó, Elena Sánchez-López, Lyda Halbaut, Ana M. Marqués, Marta Espina, Josefa Badia, Laura Baldoma, Ana Cristina Calpena and Maria Luisa García
Gels 2024, 10(2), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10020149 - 18 Feb 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2338
Abstract
Thyme oil (THO) possesses excellent antibacterial and antioxidant properties which are suitable for skin inflammatory disorders such as acne vulgaris. However, THO is insoluble in water and its components are highly volatile. Therefore, these drawbacks may be overcome by its encapsulation in biodegradable [...] Read more.
Thyme oil (THO) possesses excellent antibacterial and antioxidant properties which are suitable for skin inflammatory disorders such as acne vulgaris. However, THO is insoluble in water and its components are highly volatile. Therefore, these drawbacks may be overcome by its encapsulation in biodegradable PLGA nanoparticles (THO-NPs) that had been functionalized using several strategies. Moreover, cell viability was studied in HaCat cells, confirming their safety. In order to assess therapeutic efficacy against acne, bacterial reduction capacity and antioxidant properties were assessed. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory and wound-healing abilities of THO-NPs were also confirmed. Additionally, ex vivo antioxidant assessment was carried out using pig skin, demonstrating the suitable antioxidant properties of THO-NPs. Moreover, THO and THO-NPs were dispersed in a gelling system, and stability, rheological properties, and extensibility were assessed. Finally, the biomechanical properties of THO-hydrogel and THO-NP-hydrogel were studied in human volunteers, confirming the suitable activity for the treatment of acne. As a conclusion, THO has been encapsulated into PLGA NPs, and in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo assessments had been carried out, demonstrating excellent properties for the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Biomedical Applications)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

1. Title: Surface and Mechanical Characterization of Gelatin Hydrogel Scaffolds Modified with Microgrooves and Influence of Surface Topography on Endothelialization

Authors: Ali Salehi, Lena Rutz, Konstantin Ulbrich and Giorgio Cattaneo

2. Title: A Mini-Review on Enhancing Solubility in Topical Hydrogel Formulations Using Solid Dispersion Technology for Poorly Water-Soluble Drugs

Authors: Zaid Dahma, Covadonga Álvarez-Álvarez and Paloma Marina de la Torre-Iglesias

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