Cutting-Edge Smart Hydrogel Platforms for Improved Wound Healing
Ameya Sharma, Vivek Puri, Divya Dheer, Malkiet Kaur, Kampanart Huanbutta, Tanikan Sangnim · MDPI AG · 2026
Smart hydrogels enhance wound healing by responding to stimuli and integrating therapeutic agents, though challenges in scalability and regulation remain.
Plain English summary
Why this matters
Key findings
- Smart hydrogels can respond to physiological and external stimuli.
- Functionalized hydrogels enhance tissue regeneration and infection control.
- Conductive hydrogels using bioelectrical signals accelerate healing.
- Current clinical applications show efficacy, but scalability and regulatory issues persist.
- Future research should focus on integrating biosensors and AI for intelligent wound care.
What's new
The review synthesizes current knowledge on smart hydrogels, emphasizing their adaptive responses and integration with advanced technologies for wound healing.
Limitations
The literature reviewed is predominantly preclinical, and significant barriers to large-scale manufacturing and regulatory approval are acknowledged.
Commercial context
While there are current clinical applications, challenges in manufacturing and regulatory approval hinder widespread commercial readiness.
Publication
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Publication date
- March 25, 2026
- Research type
- Paper
- License
- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Tags
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