Developing Peptide-Based Hydrogels for Soft Tissue Repair

Biomaterials, particularly hydrogels, are being engineered for tissue engineering, drug delivery, and medical implants. While natural and synthetic polymers offer distinct advantages like the biocompatibility of collagen or the precise tunability of polyethylene glycol, advancements in chemical synthesis have enabled the development of bioinspired synthetic hydrogels that bridge these categories. Bioactive peptides can recruit growth factors, promote angiogenesis, and reprogram macrophages toward a healing phenotype, while proteins can produce hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties. Significant needs in soft tissue repair remain: nonhealing chronic wounds, scarring, fibrosis, corneal blindness, and heart failure urgently require improved therapies. This Perspective article discusses current state-of-the-art peptide-based hydrogels, focusing on applications for skin, cornea, and heart repair. Despite progress, challenges remain regarding optimal material properties, clinical scalability, and regulatory hurdles. Future advancements are expected to leverage emerging technologies such as OMICS, spatial transcriptomics, and artificial intelligence to create personalized, iterative designs for next-generation regenerative therapies.