Biomaterials are increasingly being explored as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived materials, but many systems that perform well at the laboratory scale remain difficult to manufacture reliably at the industrial scale. One reason for this disconnect is that biomaterial structure and function are strongly influenced by the physical conditions present during assembly, including flow, transport, dewatering, and drying conditions that differ between laboratory and industrial environments. Here, I propose that scalable biomaterials should be designed with formation conditions and manufacturing environments considered from the outset instead of introducing process constraints only after laboratory optimization. Using papermaking and related large-scale bio-based manufacturing systems as examples, this perspective examines how process-dependent assembly governs interfacial structure development across systems including microfibrillated cellulose, protein-based materials, biofilms, and mycelium composites. Differences between benchtop and industrial processing are discussed in terms of flow behavior, transport limitations, shear history, and consolidation dynamics, demonstrating that scale-dependent physical regimes can produce fundamentally different structures and functional behavior. Based on these observations, a process-integrated framework for biomaterials design is proposed in which material selection, structure formation, and manufacturing constraints are treated as interconnected design variables. The perspective also outlines future needs in process-relevant characterization, multiscale modeling, and experimental tools capable of probing biomaterial formation under realistic manufacturing conditions. Incorporating formation pathways into biomaterials research may improve reproducibility and help bridge the gap between laboratory discovery and industrial implementation.
Biofouling, the accumulation of unwanted organisms on submerged assets, presents an ongoing challenge within the maritime industry. Conventional methods to inhibit growth rely on copper-laden (≤75% copper compounds) antifouling coatings. However, the efficacy of these coatings is declining due to the broad emergence of copper-tolerant species. Here, we investigated the mechanisms underlying this decline in antifouling performance. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) panels coated with a commercial copper ablative paint were deployed in the Chesapeake Bay to collect early-stage biofilms; uncoated PVC panels were deployed as an inert control group. Community profiles of the harvested biofilms were obtained via 16S amplicon sequencing of the V4 and V5 regions. To elucidate genomics information about specific bacteria, primary bacterial colonizers were isolated on marine agar plates and identified through 16S amplicon sequencing and whole genome sequencing. The isolates were subsequently assessed for copper tolerance using copper sulfate (CuSO4) in both marine agar and broth assays. While bacterial tolerance declined with increasing CuSO4 concentrations on agar, tolerance was significantly greater in liquid media and minimum inhibitory concentrations were equal to or above 5 mM CuSO4. Genomic annotation confirmed that this high phenotypic tolerance was driven by active genetic resistance mechanisms. Every isolate harbored at least three copper-related genes (e.g., copA, cueO, and copZ), with highly adaptable species carrying a full spectrum of resistance genes. Ultimately, these findings highlight how the accumulation of metal resistance genes allows bacteria to colonize metal-rich surfaces, paving the way for subsequent macrofouling and coating failure.
Protein corona formation critically shapes nano–bio interactions by influencing nanoparticle biological identity, cellular uptake, biodistribution, toxicity, and performance in nanomedicine. To characterize the evolution of protein corona research and the emergence of computational approaches, we conducted a comparative bibliometric analysis of records retrieved on July 25, 2026, using the Web of Science Core Collection as the primary database and Scopus and PubMed for external validation. Two complementary corpora were constructed: a general protein corona corpus comprising 1212 documents published between 2000 and 2025 and an AI-enabled computational protein corona corpus comprising 310 documents published between 2011 and 2025. Bibliometric analyses included global collaboration, publication sources, keyword co-occurrence, thematic evolution, co-citation, bibliographic coupling, citation bursts, and cross-database consistency. The general corpus showed that protein corona research has evolved from physicochemical characterization and protein adsorption toward biological identity, nanomedicine, drug delivery, and functional interpretation. The computational corpus retained the central concepts, publication sources, and citation foundations of the established field, while machine learning, molecular dynamics, and artificial intelligence emerged as prominent methodological themes. These patterns indicate that computational development combines data-driven prediction with mechanistic simulation rather than forming an isolated AI subfield. Scopus and PubMed validation reproduced the major thematic direction identified in Web of Science, although individual frequencies and network indicators differed across databases. Overall, protein corona research exhibits a two-layer structure consisting of an established biomedical nano–bio interface field and an emerging AI-enabled computational extension, reflecting a gradual transition from descriptive characterization toward computationally assisted and prediction-oriented investigation.
Copper oxide (CuO) and Mg-doped CuO (CuO-Mg) nanoparticles were synthesized using a green approach with Azadirachta indica leaf extract. The biosynthesized nanoparticles were characterized using multiple techniques including x-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Vis-NIR spectrometry. The XRD analysis verified the purity of the synthesized materials and confirmed a monoclinic crystal structure. Doping CuO with Mg decreased the average crystallite size. EDX spectral analysis confirmed the presence of Cu, Mg, and O elements in the Mg-doped nanoparticles. The optical bandgap ranged from 1.28 to 1.37 eV, in which undoped CuO exhibited a high optical bandgap. The antibacterial activity of CuO nanoparticles increased upon increasing the concentration of Mg doping against the tested pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. The biosynthesized CuO and Mg-doped CuO nanoparticles demonstrated potent concentration-dependent cytotoxic effects on breast cancer cells, achieving complete growth inhibition at 70 μg/ml CuO and 60 μg/ml Mg-doped CuO, with IC50 values of approximately 35.4 and 30.0 μg/ml, respectively.
Polycaprolactone (PCL) has emerged as a promising biomaterial for artificial heart applications due to its biodegradability and mechanical properties. However, its hydrophobic nature and limited biocompatibility pose challenges for cardiovascular applications, requiring optimal cell-material interactions. This study investigates the surface modification of silk fibroin-derived peptide/PCL coatings to enhance biocompatibility and cellular response for potential artificial heart applications. PCL substrates were blended with varying concentrations of silk fibroin-derived peptide (0.2%, 0.5%, and 1% w/v). Surface characterization was performed using water contact angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy. Biocompatibility was evaluated through cell viability assays and CD31 expression analysis. Silk fibroin-derived peptide incorporation significantly improved surface hydrophilicity, with contact angles decreasing from 78° (bare PCL) to 62° (1% silk fibroin-derived peptide). FTIR analysis confirmed successful incorporation of silk fibroin-derived peptides, showing characteristic PCL ester C=O absorption at ∼1720 cm-1 and concentration-dependent amide I contributions at ∼1630-1670 cm-1. Cell viability studies demonstrated enhanced cellular response with increasing silk fibroin-derived peptide concentration, particularly evident at day 7. CD31 expression analysis revealed improved endothelial marker expression, with the highest levels observed on 1% silk fibroin-derived peptide-incorporated substrates. The results demonstrate that silk fibroin blended to PCL significantly enhances biocompatibility through improved hydrophilicity and cellular interactions. Taken together, these preliminary results indicate that silk fibroin-derived peptide-incorporated PCL could represent a promising biomaterial platform for artificial heart applications, with the potential to improve endothelial compatibility and support endothelialization.
