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Editorial Biodegradable materials

In the past few decades, the concept of biomedical materials for orthopaedic and therapeutic applications has evolved from that of inert materials, to that of bioactive materials to promote cell growth, to that of functionalised biomaterials capable of complex roles that include tissue scaffolds and drug delivery, oncological and imaging vehicles. Many recent and emerging applications incorporate the concept of controlled degradation: once the material has fulfilled its role as a structural or delivery agent it degrades harmlessly and passes out of the body, avoiding the need for further, potentially hazardous surgical intervention. In vivo environments pose specific, complex challenges in the design of polymeric, metallic and ceramic biomaterials, with defined biodegradation characteristics, that have interesting parallels and contrasts with the properties sought to avoid undesired cell and bio-adhesion in these and other applications.