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Peer-reviewedCC BYRSC advances

Next-generation smart polymeric hydrogels for chronic wound management: integrating antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and regenerative strategies.

  • Muhammad Bilal Habib1
  • Laiba Arshad2
  • Muhammad Kamran3
  • Ghanwa Batool4
  • Taseer Muhammad5
  • Anwarul Hasan6
  • Noreen Sher Akbar7
  • Ameera Shahid8
8 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Biosciences, Comsats University Islamabad 45550 Pakistan [email protected].
  2. 2National University of Medical Sciences Islamabad 45550 Pakistan [email protected].
  3. 3Department of Allied Health Sciences, Government College Women University Faisalabad Punjab Pakistan [email protected].
  4. 4Department of Computer Science, Comsats University Abbottabad Campus 22060 Pakistan [email protected].
  5. 5Department of Mathematics, College of Science, King Khalid University Abha 61413 Saudi Arabia [email protected].
  6. 6Department of Bioengineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) Dhahran 31261 Saudi Arabia [email protected].
  7. 7Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University Al Khobar 31952 Saudi Arabia [email protected].
  8. 8College of Medical Laboratory Technology, National Institute of Health Islamabad 45500 Pakistan [email protected].
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Abstract

Wound healing is a tightly orchestrated sequence of hemostatic, inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling events, yet chronic wounds arise when this cascade is dysregulated by persistent infection, excessive oxidative stress, and biofilm formation. Such pathological conditions particularly in diabetic and vascular-compromised patients sustain inflammatory signaling, impair angiogenesis, and disrupt extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover. In this study, we comprehensively evaluated these pathological barriers while presenting an integrated overview of recent advances in multifunctional smart hydrogels engineered to overcome them. Rather than treating antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and regenerative functions as independent therapeutic categories, this review established a microenvironment material function translation framework emphasizing their temporal and spatial coordination. We further critically examined dynamic network chemistries, nanocomposite and multicomponent architectures, advanced 3D/4D fabrication, AI-assisted formulation and wound monitoring, preclinical model limitations, manufacturing scalability and regulatory barriers. By distinguishing promising proof-of-concept strategies from technologies approaching clinical translation, this review identifies design principles for safer, more reproducible and clinically relevant smart hydrogel systems. Finally, we addressed translational barriers including scalability, regulatory classification, and long-term biocompatibility and outline future directions for AI-integrated, patient-specific hydrogel systems. Collectively, this study provides a comprehensive technical assessment of next-generation polymeric hydrogels as precision platforms for advanced wound management.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{habib2026nextgeneration,
  title = {{Next-generation smart polymeric hydrogels for chronic wound management: integrating antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and regenerative strategies.}},
  author = {Muhammad Bilal Habib and Laiba Arshad and Muhammad Kamran and Ghanwa Batool and Taseer Muhammad and Anwarul Hasan and Noreen Sher Akbar and Ameera Shahid},
  journal = {RSC advances},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1039/d6ra06982g},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42835981},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Next-generation smart polymeric hydrogels for chronic wound management: integrating antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and regenerative strategies.
AU  - Muhammad Bilal Habib
AU  - Laiba Arshad
AU  - Muhammad Kamran
AU  - Ghanwa Batool
AU  - Taseer Muhammad
AU  - Anwarul Hasan
AU  - Noreen Sher Akbar
AU  - Ameera Shahid
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/05
JO  - RSC advances
DO  - 10.1039/d6ra06982g
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42835981
AB  - Wound healing is a tightly orchestrated sequence of hemostatic, inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling events, yet chronic wounds arise when this cascade is dysregulated by persistent infection, excessive oxidative stress, and biofilm formation. Such pathological conditions particularly in diabetic and vascular-compromised patients sustain inflammatory signaling, impair angiogenesis, and disrupt extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover. In this study, we comprehensively evaluated these pathological barriers while presenting an integrated overview of recent advances in multifunctional smart hydrogels engineered to overcome them. Rather than treating antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and regenerative functions as independent therapeutic categories, this review established a microenvironment material function translation framework emphasizing their temporal and spatial coordination. We further critically examined dynamic network chemistries, nanocomposite and multicomponent architectures, advanced 3D/4D fabrication, AI-assisted formulation and wound monitoring, preclinical model limitations, manufacturing scalability and regulatory barriers. By distinguishing promising proof-of-concept strategies from technologies approaching clinical translation, this review identifies design principles for safer, more reproducible and clinically relevant smart hydrogel systems. Finally, we addressed translational barriers including scalability, regulatory classification, and long-term biocompatibility and outline future directions for AI-integrated, patient-specific hydrogel systems. Collectively, this study provides a comprehensive technical assessment of next-generation polymeric hydrogels as precision platforms for advanced wound management.
SN  - 2046-2069
ER  -