Progress of Hydrogel Applications in Novel Drug Delivery Platforms

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to this Special Issue dedicated to “Progress of Hydrogel Applications in Novel Drug Delivery Platforms”. This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest developments and trends in the field of hydrogel-based drug delivery systems, offering valuable insights to both researchers and practitioners in the field of pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. Hydrogels, due to their unique properties and versatile application, have gained significant attention in the field of drug delivery. Thanks to aspects like high water content, adaptive physicochemical characteristics, and biocompatibility, hydrogels have become ideal candidates for delivering a wide range of therapeutics. The ability to control drug release kinetics is one of the key advantages of hydrogel in terms of drug delivery. Hydrogels can achieve sustained and controlled release of active substances over extended periods of time by modulating the polymer composition and crosslinking density. Moreover, thanks to the sensitivity of hydrogels to various types of stimuli, such as changes in pH, temperature, or enzymatic activity, it is possible to adjust the release of drugs in the desired place. This is an extremely valuable feature when therapy requires strict drug administration or precision in dosage schedules. Thanks to the use of hydrogels, it is possible to target drug delivery by incorporating ligands such as peptides or antibodies placed in the hydrogel matrix, so they can be delivered directly to damaged tissues or cells, increasing therapeutic effectiveness while minimizing the effects of the drug on other areas. Hydrogels also play a key role in delivering not only synthetic chemicals but also biological substances such as proteins, peptides, and nucleic acids. Their moist environment helps maintain the stability and activity of delicate biomolecules, facilitating their controlled release and improving bioavailability. Additionally, hydrogel-based gene delivery systems have potential in gene therapy, enabling efficient and targeted delivery of therapeutic genes to treat genetic disorders and other diseases. In this Special Issue, we invite authors to publish their original research articles, reviews, and perspectives on the broadly understood use of hydrogels in the delivery of active substances and drugs. It is expected that introducing innovations in the engineering and use of hydrogels and popularizing research on new drug delivery systems will contribute to the invention of innovative therapeutic solutions. The purpose of this Special Issue is to bring together cutting-edge research and insights from leading experts in this field. We hope that the works published in the Special Issue will contribute to the exchange of knowledge and the establishment of research cooperation, thus contributing to the development of the field of hydrogel science.

Dr. Anna Drabczyk
Dr. Katarzyna Bialik-Wąs
Guest Editors

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• hydrogels
• targeted drug delivery
• drug release
• drug delivery
• smart hydrogels
• stimuli-responsive hydrogels
• controlled release
• hydrogel-based drug delivery
• drug carriers