News & Comment

To ensure comprehensive understanding of blood group antigens — including minor antigens — blood transfusions require extended erythrocyte phenotyping or genotyping. However, such advanced testing is frequently unavailable in resource-limited settings. Implementing point-of-care testing on extended blood group antigens can enhance patient care in transfusion medicine by improving the accessibility, safety and efficiency of blood transfusions.

Biomimetic endocrine implants bridge tissue engineering and reproductive medicine to offer adaptive and long-lasting hormone therapies for the treatment of ovarian premature insufficiency and menopause. Their clinical translation requires aligned regulatory, ethical and manufacturing pathways.

Immune responses are complex, often defying rigid classifications. Instead of interpreting results according to reductionist categories, researchers should rely on comprehensive single-cell data to guide analysis and should remain open to unexpected immunological complexity.

The development of chronic implantable brain–computer interface devices requires extensive preclinical testing, for which various animal models can be used. However, bridging the translational gap requires strategic consideration of their brains’ physiological, anatomical and functional organization differences.

Healthcare innovation greatly benefits from the proactive inclusion of patients. Here we outline the importance of patients as co-creators of healthcare technology, providing insight into patient community engagement and resources for inclusion of the public and patients.

Surface engineering enhances the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of extracellular vesicles (EVs) by improving their stability, immune evasion, tracking and targeting. Advancing scalable chemical approaches that preserve the integrity and functionality of EVs and efficient purification methods are key to unlocking their full potential.

The lack of structural definition in nanomedicines limits therapeutic efficacy and complicates regulatory approval. Here, we emphasize that defining, designing and optimizing the structures of nanomedicines are critical  to developing effective therapies because their architectures — not just the identity of their components — determines potency.

Microgravity accelerates ageing-like changes in cells and tissues. By integrating bioengineering technologies, researchers can uncover pathways to mitigate ageing and develop therapeutic interventions for age-related diseases both on Earth and in space.

Biopharmaceutical manufacturing innovation is essential for making monoclonal antibodies affordable and accessible by overcoming critical cost and supply barriers. Importantly, innovation supporting regional production will be required to meet low- and middle-income country health needs and strengthen global resilience against future infectious disease outbreaks.

Oxygen masks typically rely on an external oxygen supply, whether in the form of oxygen tanks or capsules. In response to ‘the ultimate bioengineering challenge’ competition, we present the design of a self-sustained oxygen mask using lightweight biocompatible materials to provide extended oxygen supply and water collection for low-resource settings.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines hold promise for creating new and improved immunizations; however, their delivery is challenging in terms of compliance, reactogenicity, cost and scalability. In response to ‘the ultimate bioengineering challenge’ competition, we propose an edible mRNA vaccine platform using lettuce chloroplasts.

Vaccine distribution in remote areas without reliable electricity or refrigeration options presents major challenges. In response to ‘the ultimate bioengineering challenge’ competition, we present the design of a biorefrigerator made of biodegradable, locally sourced materials that is engineered to preserve vaccines at optimal temperatures without requiring external energy.

Women’s health research is understudied and underprioritized. A holistic approach that leverages technological tools, fosters collaboration across sectors and addresses systemic biases is necessary to develop equitable healthcare.

Achieving effective collaboration in bioengineering is an art and a science. Here we outline strategies for building and sustaining interdisciplinary partnerships, and outline challenges, opportunities and funding options for establishing and strengthening collaborative research.

The development of representative and reliable cellular models requires researchers to prioritize inclusivity and reconsider how to approach differences.

Clinical reports on synthetic matrices for rotator cuff tears (RCTs) have varied outcomes owing to limitations such as inconsistency in follow-up time, small sample sizes and lack of control groups. Standardized methods are crucial to optimize synthetic matrix applications and ensure consistent results in tendon repair.

Nanomedicines interact with lipoproteins in the blood, which might result in alterations in both nanomedicine and lipoprotein structure and function. Such interactions could also be exploited for site-specific delivery through a ‘lipoprotein Trojan Horse’ mechanism and to restore dysfunctional lipoproteins.

The incipient use of microphysiological systems (MPSs) in the drug regulatory pathway is based on equivalent or superior predictive value in the evaluation of drug efficacy, safety and toxicology, compared with other novel alternative methods (NAMs) or animal studies. Current MPS practice is not deploying available physiological culture media solutions. Will the clinical translational reliability of MPSs be potentially compromised by the use of hyper-nutritional media?

Bioengineering advances and genome-editing technologies can drive the development of a bio-based circular plastic economy to address the plastic crisis.

Redesigning biomaterials to proactively modulate the complement system can reduce unintended immune responses and enhance their therapeutic efficacy.