Biomaterials is delighted to announce the publication of two upcoming special issues in the second half of 2018. The first will address Advanced Bone Healing, while the second topical issue with be on the Chemistry of Biomaterials.
Ahead of their publication, and hot off the press, we would like to share with the community a sneak preview of the excellent insights on the field which will be featured in these issues. Read below short introductions to the topics by Biomaterials commissioning editors Prof. Stuart Goodman and Prof. Hai Quan Mao and research articles in press by the Wu and Shoichet labs (free access).
Novel molecular and cellular strategies to optimize bone healing
Guest Editor: Hongwei Ouyang
Commissioning journal Editors: Stuart Goodman, Kam Leong
Restoration of extensive lost bone has been an unfulfilled challenge for clinicians, researchers and patients. Bone loss may be seen in a wide variety of clinical conditions including traumatic fractures and nonunions, infections, tumors, congenital conditions, osteoporosis and many other diseases. Recently, novel molecular and cellular methods have been discovered that have the potential to jumpstart and optimize bone healing, with the potential to shorten recovery time and improve function. This Biomaterials Theme Issue will define the clinical problem and provide important information about cutting edge research to solve the current challenge of bone loss and regeneration.
Pluripotent stem cells as a source of osteoblasts for bone tissue regeneration, article in press
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142961218300802?via=ihub
by Hui Zhu, Takaharu Kimura, Srilatha Swami and Joy Y.Wu
In this original research study, the authors report generating mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from transgenic mice, and differentiated these cells into osteoblast lineage cells. If this research can be translated to human cells, this technology could form an important method for regeneration of bone defects.
Chemistry of Biomaterials
Guest Editors: Matthias Barz, Honggang Cui,
Commissioning journal Editors: Hai-Quan Mao
Chemistry is central to all materials design. The key properties of biomaterials, for examples biocompatibility, bioactivity, and biodegradability, are all rooted in the chemical and physical structures of the underlying building units. Chemistry continues to fuel the innovations in biomaterials engineering to endow greater level of functions in preventing and treating diseases, providing expanding range of options in replacing damaged tissues and organs, and improving the quality of lives of billions of patients. As materials design becomes more application specific and treatment options become more patient specific, synthesis strategy also needs to match the level of complexity and responsiveness. On the other hand, there is also an urgent need to reduce chemical complexity to enable faster translation of biomaterials solutions into the clinic. This theme issue on “Chemistry of Biomaterials” underlines the importance of chemistry in the design of therapeutic and diagnostic solutions, and emphasizes the diverse medical needs required for target-oriented synthetic approaches.
Photo-immobilized EGF chemical gradients differentially impact breast cancer cell invasion and drug response in defined 3D hydrogels, article in press
https://www.sciencedirect.com/
science/article/pii/S0142961218300474
by Stephanie A.Fisher, Roger Y.Tam, Ana Fokina, M. Mohsen Mahmoodi, Mark D. Distefano and Molly S. Shoichet
In this original research study, the authors report that gradients of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) differentially influence breast cancer cell invasion and drug response in cell lines with different EGF receptor (EGFR) expression levels. Complex cellullar and other local interactions in the microenvironment should be considered when evaluating new potential drug treatments for breast cancer.
Adapted from Fisher et al.