Advances in Biomaterials Design to Combat Implant-Associated Biofilms and Infections

Dear Colleagues,

For several decades, implants of various natures have been used for therapeutic purposes as well as for functional restoration. Generally, they should facilitate tissue regeneration by allowing cellular adhesion and proliferation. Such an environment also favors microbial adhesion and colonization. Hence, implants may vary in their composition and application but all are vulnerable to infections. The incidence of such implant-associated infections is reportedly very high. Pathogens often form a surface bound cluster embedded within the extracellular matrix, which is referred to as a biofilm. Biofilms thus present a more robust form of infection which is even harder to eradicate. Traditionally, implants have been infused with antibiotics to reduce the risk of infections. However, with the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant microbes, alleviating the risk of infections has become more crucial than ever. There have been continual efforts to enhance the functionality of implant biomaterials, including in terms of their biocompatibility, biodegradability, physicochemical and mechanical properties, ability to attract progenitor cells and promote constructive tissue remodeling, and their tissue repair, neovascularization, and tissue regeneration capacities. Multifunctional biomaterials that can consistently select host cells over intruding microbes need to be designed and leveraged.

With this Special Issue on “Advances in Biomaterials Design to Combat Implant-Associated Biofilms and Infections”, we intend to present a collection of various approaches to prevent implant-associated infections. Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Design of biomaterials that allow implant insertion through minimally invasive procedures;
• Use of antifouling materials;
• Stimuli-responsive antibacterial materials;
• Virulence factor-triggered adaptive antibacterial coatings;
• Incorporation of quorum sensing inhibitors.

Dr. Kasturi Joshi-Navare
Prof. Dr. Sidi A. Bencherif
Guest Editors

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• smart biomaterials
• antimicrobial
• antifouling
• biofilm
• antibiotic resistance
• tissue engineering