Advances in cryogels for drug delivery and biomedical engineering

Cryogels are supermacroporous materials synthesized under subzero conditions, characterized by interconnected pores that provide exceptional biocompatibility, mechanical stability, and responsiveness to environmental stimuli. This review highlights their innovative applications in controlled drug delivery and tissue engineering. Advances in pH-sensitive and stimuli-responsive cryogels have enabled precise, sustained drug release, enhancing therapeutic efficacy while minimizing adverse effects. In the field of tissue engineering, cryogels serve as biomimetic scaffolds that promote cell adhesion and regeneration, making them valuable in bone and soft tissue repair. Despite these promising developments, challenges such as mechanical fragility and scalability persist. This review discusses strategies to overcome these limitations, including advanced synthesis techniques, functionalization approaches, and predictive design tools leveraging machine learning. These efforts emphasize the transformative potential of cryogels in medicine, biotechnology, and sustainability.