Introduction
The integration of sustainable biopolymers into rational drug design has emerged as a transformative strategy in modern pharmaceutical development. Biodegradable and renewable polymers such as chitosan, alginate, cellulose derivatives, hyaluronic acid, gelatin, silk fibroin, and polylactide-based systems provide structurally versatile platforms for engineering advanced drug delivery cargos with precise control over drug loading, release kinetics, and targeting efficiency. This thematic issue aims to highlight recent mechanistic advances in the molecular design, physicochemical optimization, and functional modification of sustainable biopolymer-based carriers for improved pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and therapeutic index. Emphasis will be placed on structure–function relationships, polymer–drug interactions, stimuli-responsive mechanisms (pH, redox, enzyme, thermal), and computational or AI-assisted polymer design strategies that enhance drug stability and site-specific delivery. The issue will also address translational aspects, including scalability, regulatory considerations, quality-by-design (QbD) approaches, and clinical perspectives. By bridging polymer chemistry, nanotechnology, molecular pharmaceutics, and pharmaceutical engineering, this thematic collection will provide a comprehensive overview of sustainable, design-driven strategies for next-generation smart drug delivery systems.
Keywords
Sustainable Biopolymers, Rational Drug Design, Polymeric Nanocarriers, Structure–Function Relationship, Stimuli-Responsive Delivery, Polymer–Drug Interaction, Pharmacokinetics Optimization, Quality-by-Design, Translational Pharmaceutics, Green Drug Development.
Sub-topics
- Design and Functionalization of Natural Polymer-Based Nanocarriers
- Stimuli-Responsive and Environment-Sensitive Biopolymer Systems
- Green Synthesis Approaches in Drug Delivery
- Biopolymer-Based Hydrogels, Micelles, and Nano/Micro-Particles
- Targeted and Personalized Drug Delivery Strategies
- Biopolymer Applications in Oncology and Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacokinetics, Toxicology, and Biodegradation Studies
- Scale-up, Regulatory Challenges, and Clinical Translation
- Hybrid Biomaterial Systems Combining Synthetic and Natural Polymers
- AI-Driven and Computational Modeling in Polymeric Drug Design
