Reviews & Analysis

Using nanoparticles featuring anisotropic characteristics is a promising approach to developing multifunctional platforms for drug delivery and theranostics. This Review discusses methods to generate anisotropy in nanosystems and strategies to control particle transport, targeting and interaction with cells to overcome biological barriers.

Motion artefacts challenge the translational application of soft bioelectronics by distorting physiological monitoring. This Review introduces fundamental causes of motion artefacts and discusses various management strategies, including materials usage, bioelectronics design and algorithmic intervention.

Microfluidic 3D cell culture platforms may serve as tools for the modelling of human tissues. This Review discusses the design, standardization and automation of such systems for non-clinical drug evaluation and investigation of disease.

Ultrasound is an emerging tool for tissue engineering with the distinct advantages of cytocompatibility and deep tissue penetration. This Review discusses the integration of ultrasound for cellular assembly and tissue maturation with tissue-engineering techniques to advance regenerative medicine.

Hydrogels are being explored and clinically applied for a variety of biomedical and clinical applications. This Review outlines a model-based modular hydrogel design framework that is application-driven and considers clinical translation early in the design process, emphasizing the importance of fundamental modelling and standardized design.

The application of nanoscale drug delivery systems by subcutaneous (SC) administration may circumvent disadvantages of other injections routes, such as intramuscular and intravenous administration. This Review discusses the design and clinical translation of nanoscale drug delivery systems for SC administration for the treatment of various conditions.

Small-scale wireless soft robotic devices are promising tools for various medical applications. This Review outlines safety, navigation and functionality challenges, as well as the ethical and regulatory considerations that remain to be addressed for their clinical translation.

Traditional urinalysis relies on endogenous biomarkers, which have limited diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. This Review discusses molecular optical probes that interact with disease biomarkers in vivo and produce artificial urinary biomarkers, which are excreted into urine for remote urinalysis.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are reshaping antibiotic discovery. In this Review, ML approaches that have been and can be used to address issues hindering antimicrobial peptide identification and development are surveyed.

Mechanoneural interfaces combine surgically modified soft tissues and artificial components to enhance peripheral neural signalling for the reconstruction of bionic limbs. This Review discusses different mechanoneural interface architectures and presents preclinical and clinical evidence of their afferent and efferent properties.

The mechanisms of nanoparticle delivery to solid tumours guide the engineering of nanoparticles for cancer applications. This Review discusses two contrasting nanoparticle delivery mechanisms, the enhanced permeability and retention effect and the active transport and retention principle, and their implications for the design of cancer nanomedicines.

This Review discusses how biomaterials might enhance the production and delivery of adoptive cell therapies for cancer and other diseases. Eckman et al. emphasize fundamental material and biochemical properties that enable the development of timely, safe and effective therapies.

Fibrotic disease can affect almost all organs, and only few therapies currently exist for the treatment of fibrosis. This Review discusses the contribution of mechanical forces to the onset and progression of fibrosis, highlighting distinct mechanotransduction mechanisms as well as engineered models and therapeutic approaches targeting mechanotransduction pathways for the investigation and treatment of fibrosis, respectively.

Bioplastics are yet to replace commodity plastics. In this Review, we address the barriers faced by bioplastics to obtaining standard labels and certificates and we propose pre-screening methods to optimize these processes. Challenges in production, consumption and disposal are also discussed.

This Review focuses on several facets of synthetic peptide branched polymers including their synthesis, diversity, physicochemical properties and bacteria-killing mechanisms. The current challenges and future applications of synthetic peptide branched polymers in biomedical engineering are highlighted.

The ability to detect precancer at the point of care is important to reduce global inequities in cancer outcomes. This Review outlines how low-cost optical imaging technologies, slide-free microscopy and machine learning can improve imaging performance and provide real-time interpretation in settings with limited resources.

Microneedle technologies for drug delivery and biosensing have progressed through the integration of material sciences, nanotechnologies and electronic devices. This Review discusses the development and clinical translation of microneedle biomedical devices.

Metabolic engineering allows the design of microorganisms for the bioproduction of specific metabolites, such as value-added chemicals. This Review discusses autonomous dynamic regulation approaches, including metabolite-specific transcriptional regulation and non-specific systems using environmental factors, quorum sensing and growth-phase regulation.

Controlling blood circulation, biodistribution and tissue accessibility of nanomedicines is key to their clinical translation. In this Review, bioengineering strategies to overcome gatekeeping barriers and promote the targeting, safety and efficacy of nanomedicines are discussed.

Regenerative tissue engineering aims to functionally restore damaged tissues. This Review discusses how advances in single-cell RNA sequencing techniques and analysis methods can expand our understanding of tissue injury responses to inform the design of new regenerative biomaterials and therapeutics.