Summary:

Global healthcare challenges, sustainability in the environment, and natural resource

management demand novel materials development that not only be high performance but also

environmentally friendly and compatible with living organisms. Though typical synthetic

polymers function optimally, they present environmental pollution and poor biocompatibility

limiting use in highly sensitive applications such as biomedical applications. Based on this

background, bio-based polymers and biomaterials have come out as viable alternatives

prepared or synthesized from renewable materials and constructed to be environmentally

friendly and having minimal ecological impact.

This special issue has been thoughtfully timed to concur with rapid developments in this area

that have been stimulated by advances in polymer science, nanotechnology, and biomedical

engineering. Addition of novel synthesis strategies—that include green chemistry protocols,

enzymatic polymerization, and solvent-free methodologies—has enabled material fabrication

with tailored properties such as enhanced mechanical strength, controlled degradation rates,

and tailored biological interactions. In addition, characterization techniques such as atomic

force microscopy, spectroscopy methods, and in silico modeling have provided unrivaled

information about material behavior in micro- and nanoscales.

Scientific reasons behind this problem lie within some key points:

Biocompatibility and Safety: Bio-based polymers have low chances of immune response

and toxicity and can be utilized in implant applications, drug delivery applications, and tissue

scaffolds.

Sustainability: In response to mounting regulatory mandates and customer demand for

environmentally responsible products, sustainability can be addressed through biodegradable

polymers as a solution alternative to the problem of plastic waste accumulation.

Multifunctionality: Blends or composites made between natural and synthetic polymers can

be developed to possess two functionalities, including antimicrobial actions in combination

with mechanical reinforcement.

Technological Convergence: Interdisciplinary research is developing smart materials that can

be made to respond to varying stimuli (e.g., pH, temperature) to facilitate directed therapy

and enhance diagnostic tools.

It is this special issue's goal to serve not only as an exhaustive primer but also research

agenda for the future showcasing new findings.