Engineering Microgels for Advanced Biomedical Applications

While traditional bulk hydrogels have been extensively used in biomedicine, their utility as cell or therapeutic agents remains limited. Their macroscopic size often requires surgical implantation, and their dense nanostructure restricts cellular functions. In contrast, microgels—micron-scale hydrogel particles—offer notable advantages including a high specific surface area, enhanced mass transport, and the capacity for minimally invasive delivery. However, the broader application of microgels has been hindered by conventional fabrication methods, which frequently rely on harsh conditions such as high voltage, organic solvents, or surfactants. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a series of mild and biocompatible fabrication strategies based on gas-shearing and aqueous two-phase systems to produce highly monodisperse microgels. We further demonstrate the significant potential of these microgels in facilitating tissue regeneration and treating intestinal diseases. Our results indicate that these microgels represent a promising and versatile platform for advanced therapeutic delivery and regenerative medicine.

Guosheng Tang is a Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at Guangzhou Medical University and a recipient of the NSFC Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Category B). He completed his postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School under the supervision of Professor Yu Shrike Zhang. His research focuses on the interdisciplinary integration of 3D bioprinting and novel microfluidics for microgel fabrication, advancing cell delivery and regenerative medicine. In 2021, he was recruited full-time to the School of Pharmacy of Guangzhou Medical University as a "Nanshan Scholar Distinguished Professor" under the Guangdong Provincial High-Level University Construction Project. He currently serves as a committee member of the Bio-Manufacturing Engineering Division of the Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society and of the 3D Bioprinting and Tissue Regeneration Branch of the Guangdong Society of Biomedical Engineering. He also serves as an Associate Editor and a Young Editorial Board Member for journals such as Advanced Bionics, Nano Micro Letters, and Exploration. To date, he has published over 50 papers in top-tier journals including Cell, Nature Microbiology, PNAS, and Nature Communications.