Andreia Silva Fernandes

Background/Objectives: Skin dysbiosis is associated with several dermatological disorders and is often accompanied by oxidative stress and inflammation. Bioactive textiles offer a promising strategy for localized skin health management; however, many currently available materials rely on synthetic or metal-based agents. This study aimed to develop sustainable cotton-based bioactive textiles functionalized with acorn shell (AS) extract, an agri-food by-product rich in phenolic compounds, and evaluate their biological performance potential for skin-contact applications in the management of skin dysbiosis conditions. Methods: Cotton fabrics were pre-treated with chitosan, a commercial cationic agent, or potassium alum and functionalized with AS extract using exhaustion or padding techniques. The resulting materials were assessed for antimicrobial activity against skin-associated bacteria, antioxidant capacity, anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-stimulated macrophages, cytocompatibility with keratinocytes and macrophages, and phenolic compound release under skin-mimicking conditions. Results: AS-functionalized cotton exhibited strong antimicrobial activity, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria, together with significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. All functionalized textiles maintained keratinocyte viability above established cytocompatibility thresholds, supporting their suitability for direct skin contact. Exhaustion-treated samples showed higher phenolic incorporation and release, resulting in enhanced biological performance, whereas padding-treated fabrics exhibited lower phenolic loading, more sustained release profiles, and comparatively reduced bioactivity. Conclusions: AS extract can be successfully incorporated into cotton textiles using industrially relevant finishing methods, generating multifunctional materials with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties while maintaining cytocompatibility. These findings support the potential of AS-functionalized cotton as a sustainable, plant-based skin-contact textile platform for localized management of skin-dysbiosis-associated conditions, with great relevance for dermatological and healthcare applications.

Despite its low prevalence, pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the deadliest, typically characterised as silent in early stages and with a dramatically poor prognosis when in its advanced stages, commonly associated with a high degree of metastasis. Many efforts have been made in pursuing innovative therapeutical approaches, from the search for new cytotoxic drugs and other bioactive compounds, to the development of more targeted approaches, including improved drug delivery devices. Marine biotechnology has been contributing to this quest by providing new chemical leads and materials originating from different organisms. In this review, marine biodiscovery for PC is addressed, particularly regarding marine invertebrates (namely sponges, molluscs, and bryozoans), seaweeds, fungi, and bacteria. In addition, the development of biomaterials based on marine-originating compounds, particularly chitosan, fucoidan, and alginate, for the production of advanced cancer therapies, is also discussed. The key role that drug delivery can play in new cancer treatments is highlighted, as therapeutical outcomes need to be improved to give further hope to patients.