Microgels for Biomedical Applications

Microgels are versatile materials that have been leveraged for a broad range of biomedical applications due to their tunable physicochemical properties and high degree of biocompatibility. These polymeric particles can be synthesized from a variety of natural and synthetic precursors and can be easily tuned to alter their physical and chemical properties, size, and degradability. These properties make microgels ideal for drug delivery, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering applications. This chapter discusses recent advances in microgel technology for biological applications, while highlighting stimuli-responsive materials, core-shell constructs, wound-healing therapeutics, and microgel assemblies. This chapter underscores the translatable potential of microgels as tunable platforms for biomedical therapeutics.