Recent progress of ionic liquids for life science applications: A critical review

Ionic liquids (ILs), once primarily explored as green solvents, have emerged as designable task-specific materials for life science. This review comprehensively presents evolution of ILs from simple reaction media to sophisticated agent for interfacing with biological systems. We begin by elucidating the fundamental interactions between ILs and biomolecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipid membranes. Bio-ionic liquids (bio-ILs) and pharmaceutical ingredient-ILs (API-ILs), are also introduced in this We subsequently explore expansive applications of ILs in biotechnology, where ILs enhance biocatalysis, bioseparations, and biomaterial processing, and biomedicine, where ILs enable advanced drug delivery, intrinsic antimicrobial therapies, and tissue engineering. The scope extends to application of ILs in agriculture and food science, highlighting ILs' roles in extraction, crop protection, and sensing. Crucially, we critically assess the biocompatibility and structure-toxicity relationships of ILs, advocating for a “safe by design” approach utilizing bio-renewable ions. Finally, we present a forward-looking perspective on overcoming challenges and seizing emerging opportunities in cryopreservation. This review aims to unify the multidisciplinary fields of ILs in life science, illustrating how ILs can be harnessed to solve pressing challenges in health, sustainability, and technology.