Multifunctional Injectable Hydrogel for <i>In Vivo</i> Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications

Abstract

Injectable hydrogels show high potential for <i>in vivo</i> biomedical applications owing to their distinctive mode of administration into the human body. In this study, we propose a material design strategy for developing a multifunctional injectable hydrogel with good adhesiveness, stretchability, and bioresorbability. Its multifunctionality, whereupon multiple reactions occur simultaneously during its injection into the body without requiring energy stimuli and/or additives, was realized through meticulous engineering of bioresorbable precursors based on hydrogel chemistry. The multifunctional injectable hydrogel can be administered through a minimally invasive procedure, form a conformal adhesive interface with the target tissue, dynamically stretch along with the organ motions with minimal mechanical constraints, and be resorbed <i>in vivo</i> after a specific period. Further, the incorporation of functional nanomaterials into the hydrogel allows for various <i>in vivo</i> diagnostic and therapeutic applications, without compromising the original multifunctionality of the hydrogel. These features are verified through theranostic case studies on representative organs, including the skin, liver, heart, and bladder.