Hyuk Sang Yoo

Corneal epithelial damage remains a considerable clinical challenge, often leading to delayed wound healing and impaired vision. Hyaluronic acid (HA)-based nanofibers face fabrication and stability challenges, reducing their translational potential for corneal regeneration. The fabrication and characterization of aminolyzed polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrils (aNFs) with manipulated HA conjugation was investigated to enhance human corneal epithelial cell (hCEC) cell adhesion and proliferation. HA was chemically immobilized on aNF via aza-Michael addition using varying FeCl 3 concentrations over 24 h. Quantitative, turbidimetric, and colorimetric analyses confirmed HA conjugation to aNFs after 24h of reaction.Additionally, HA-conjugated NFs exhibited increased swelling and attenuated protein adsorption compared to aNFs. HA-conjugated nanofibrils (HA@NF) exhibited no detectable cytotoxicity toward hCECs. hCECs adhesion gradually increased proportionally with the degree of HA conjugation on HA@NFs. HA@NF24 induced the highest gene expression of hCEC-specific and proliferation markers, suggesting improved identity maintenance and hCEC proliferation in 3D cell sheet cultivation. Corneal wound healing studies with wild-type rabbits, HA@NFs accelerated recovery, highlighting their therapeutic potential. These results demonstrate that HA-optimized PCL nanofibrils are promising therapeutic materials for corneal regeneration and ocular tissue repair.

Nanofibrous dressings have emerged as a transformative solution for acute and chronic wound management. This review evaluates recent advancements in wound therapeutics utilizing nanofiber platforms incorporating various bioactive agents. A comprehensive overview of the wound healing process across distinct physiological phases is provided, alongside a discussion of nanofiber fabrication methodologies and their underlying mechanisms. Particular emphasis is placed on the constituent materials and their inherent biofunctionality, specifically regarding how cellular interactions with these substrates enhance wound healing outcomes. Furthermore, we examine the clinical utility of these scaffolds in achieving hemostasis, modulating inflammation, preventing infection, and promoting angiogenesis. The review concludes by highlighting the cost‐effectiveness and tunable architecture of nanofibers, underscoring their potential as the next generation of efficacious wound care systems.

Gold nanorods functionalized with azide assemble end-to-end into nanochains. The Fc-modified chains engage NK cells via receptor recognition, significantly enhancing antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) in a chain length-dependent manner.

Advances in cancer therapy, delayed parenthood, and an increasing number of reproductive disorders have intensified the need for the effective preservation of fertility. However, current clinical strategies such as ovarian tissue cryopreservation, transplantation, and hormonal stimulation remain limited in scope and efficacy. Biomaterials have emerged as powerful tools to overcome these limitations, enabling fertility preservation and functional restoration of reproductive and endocrine systems. Recent progress has included the development of hydrogel-based systems for in vitro follicle maturation, bioengineered scaffolds for ovarian tissue support, and artificial ovaries capable of hormone secretion and oocyte development. These platforms are increasingly incorporating immunomodulatory features to address rejection and enhance graft integration. Beyond preservation, biomaterials are also being harnessed to repair reproductive damage caused by conditions such as primary ovarian insufficiency, intrauterine adhesions, and endometriosis. Through tunable biochemical and mechanical properties, materials can direct tissue regeneration, modulate inflammation, and restore physiological functions. Emerging technologies, including biofabrication with reproductive-specific bioinks, organoid models, hormone-responsive systems, and artificial intelligence-driven biomaterial designs, are accelerating innovation toward translational applications. Collectively, these developments represent a paradigm shift in reproductive medicine from passive preservation to active regenerative strategies. This review highlights the state-of-the-art biomaterial-enabled fertility restoration and outlines future directions toward personalized, functional, and clinically viable solutions.

Objective: Daily sunlight exposure impacts the structural integrity and chemical composition of hair in both reversible and permanent manners. Although keratin‐based treatments have been popularly used to repair damaged hair, their effects in the recovery of the hair damage caused by UV light have not been well studied. Moreover, limitations related to keratin penetration depth and duration of effect persist. Encapsulating active ingredients in liposomes has been shown to enhance their stability, bioavailability and permeability. Thus, we aimed to design cationic liposomes encapsulated with keratin to enhance the recovery effects of photo‐damaged hair.Methods: We prepared keratin‐incorporated cationic liposomes (KLs) via high‐pressure homogenization and assessed their physical properties via hydrodynamic size, zeta potential, electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction analyses. The physical and chemical damage level of hair samples before and after treatment, such as hair smoothness, protein degradation and lipid peroxidation, were subsequently investigated using electron microscopy and different spectroscopies.Results: The results indicated that the cationic liposomes fabricated by high‐pressure homogenization method had combined unilamellar and multilamellar structures. Compared with the keratin solution, the KL suspension significantly improved the permeation of keratin into the cortex during a 24‐h incubation. Moreover, 24 and 48‐h UV‐exposed hairs showed enhanced recovery when incubated with keratin liposomes for 24 h, as evidenced by the observation of a smoother hair surface using electron microscopy. We observed that treatment with keratin liposomes significantly reduced protein denaturation and lipid peroxidation in the photo‐damaged hairs.Conclusion: We anticipate that cationic liposome‐assisted keratin delivery may serve as an effective method for restoring photo‐damaged hair in both the physical and chemical dimensions.