Bryan organizes special issue on precision biomaterials

Bryan led and organized with colleagues Brian Aguado (UCSD) and Erika Moore (U Maryland College Park) the Special Issue, “Precision Biomaterials: Incorporating Sex, Age, and Social Descriptors in Biomaterials Research” for the journal ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering. Bryan organized this Special Issue as a member of the Early Career Editorial Advisory Board for the journal.

Read the Editorial here and check out the articles contributed to the Special Issue here.

Special Issue Abstract:

This special issue highlights rapid advances in biomaterials research that incorporate sex, age, and social descriptors such as ancestry as essential biological variables. As precision medicine evolves, traditional “one‑size‑fits‑all” biomaterial designs are no longer sufficient. Instead, researchers are developing technologies and models that account for the diverse biological and demographic factors shaping health and disease.

Featuring contributions from both early‑career and senior investigators, this collection showcases innovative in vitro and in vivo approaches that deepen our understanding of how sex, age, and ancestry influence cell–material interactions, disease modeling, drug and gene delivery, and tissue biomechanics. The articles span topics including sex‑specific disease models, hormone‑responsive engineered tissues, gene therapy design for women’s health, and demographic differences in bone composition. Together, these works demonstrate the transformative potential of integrating intersectional biological variables into biomaterials science and engineering moving the field closer to truly personalized therapeutic strategies.