Mechanistically Engineered Biomaterials Against Biofilms: From Molecular Targets to Clinical Translation

Chronic wounds, implant-associated infections, and infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens continue to challenge modern medicine, largely due to the persistence and resilience of microbial biofilms. Conventional antimicrobial therapies often fail to penetrate or effectively disrupt the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix, leading to prolonged inflammation, delayed healing, and recurrent infections. As a result, there is an urgent need for next ‑ generation biomaterials that are not only biocompatible but also mechanistically engineered to target biofilm formation, persistence, and dispersal. Biofilm ‑ associated infections account for over 80% of chronic and device ‑ related infections, yet the field lacks a unified mechanistic framework linking material design to biofilm biology and clinical performance. This themed issue seeks to bridge that gap by highlighting innovations that integrate materials science, microbiology, immunology, and translational medicine. This themed issue aims to bring together cutting ‑ edge research and authoritative reviews on bioactive, multifunctional, and mechanistically engineered biomaterials designed to prevent, disrupt, or eradicate biofilms in clinically relevant environments. We welcome original research articles and comprehensive reviews covering fundamental mechanisms, material design, translational strategies, and clinical applications. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: Biofilm ‑ disruptive biomaterials targeting EPS, PNAG, Psl, Pel, and mixed-species biofilm matrices Enzyme ‑ functionalized polymers (e.g., DNase, proteases, and dispersin-like systems) Antimicrobial and anti-biofilm nanomaterials (rare ‑ earth oxides, metal oxides, nanozymes) Biopolymer ‑ based platforms (chitosan, bacterial cellulose, alginate, hyaluronic acid) Immunomodulatory biomaterials for chronic wound healing Smart, stimuli ‑ responsive, or enzyme ‑ triggered anti-biofilm systems Hybrid polymer – natural product platforms (polyphenols, curcumin, terpenoids) Mechanistic modeling of biofilm disruption and material – microbe interactions Translational studies, preclinical and in vivo models, and clinical outcomes Advanced graft materials and regenerative scaffolds with anti-biofilm activity Academic Editor Prof. John H.T. Luong Innovative Chromatography Group, Irish Separation Science Cluster (ISSC), School of Chemistry, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. Research Interests: biosensors; immunoassays; functional biomaterials; nanocomposites; nanopolymers.