Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog

Dr. João Borges is a Senior Researcher at the Department of Chemistry and CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. He received his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Porto in 2013. His research focuses on the molecular design, synthesis and development of bioinstructive supramolecular multicomponent biomaterials to interface with living systems. In particular, he has been developing chemically programmable and dynamic supramolecular hydrogels and Layer-by-Layer-driven soft self-assembling biomaterials by combining polysaccharides, self-assembling peptides and nucleic acids, to be used as bioinstructive matrices to control cell functions and as platforms for controlled drug/therapeutics delivery. He has served as a Guest Editor for Journal of Materials Chemistry B in 2024. He has been strongly committed to delivering a positive social impact by being invested in science communication, outreach, and policy and he has been connecting, supporting and empowering early-career scientists in advancing their professional development as a member of the Global Young Academy, Young Academy of Portugal of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences, International Younger Chemists Network (IYCN), and European Young Chemists’ Network. He is co-chair of the Global Conversation on Sustainability by IUPAC and the IYCN, and a National Representative of the IYCN Standing Committee at IUPAC.

What does it mean to you to join the Advisory Board of Journal of Materials Chemistry B?

I am truly honored and delighted to join the Advisory Board of the prestigious Journal of Materials Chemistry B, which publishes high quality research at the interface of materials chemistry, biology and medicine. The unique opportunity to join the Advisory Board will enable me to contribute further to the journal and to support the materials chemistry community by several means. Those include contributing with strategic advice, suggestions and recommendations to keep the high standards of quality of the journal, aiding in promoting and publishing impactful materials chemistry research, as well as in proposing themed collections (I am currently co-editing a themed collection) and perspective articles in the field, and helping in shaping the future directions and development of the journal by working closely with peer Editorial Board Members.

What is the current biggest challenge you face in your field?

 One of the biggest challenges for those working at the interface of materials chemistry, biology and medicine is still accelerating translational research by navigating the regulatory issues, i.e. bridging the gap between the lab research and the clinics towards benefiting society. The possibility to enable the translation of pioneering devices, technologies and advanced therapies at a faster pace that could improve the quality and life expectancy of citizens and reduce the healthcare costs is fundamental to address many pressing healthcare challenges that society faces and contribute to sustainable development.

In addition, as a young scientist, one of the major challenges we face is funding which is transversal to several fields and areas of research.

Why do you feel that researchers should choose to publish their work in Journal of Materials Chemistry B?

Journal of Materials Chemistry B is a truly reputable and widely read interdisciplinary forum for publishing cutting-edge research at the interface of chemistry, materials science, biology and medicine, which maximizes the visibility and impact of scientific research. One can publish a wide range of studies at the forefront of materials chemistry research, from a more fundamental science perspective on the design and synthesis of materials to their applications in biology and medicine. In addition, I also very much appreciate the professionalism and commitment of the editorial team, as well as the thoughtful and trustworthy peer-review process which undoubtedly helps to improve the quality of the science communicated by the authors and to increase its impact.

Can you tell us about one of your latest Journal of Materials Chemistry B publications?

 Our most recent publication was an original full paper published in 2023 on the development of marine-origin polysaccharides-based free-standing multilayered membranes as sustainable nanoreservoirs for controlled drug delivery. This manuscript emphasizes the synergistic use of sustainable marine-origin biopolymers, their chemical modification into water-soluble biopolymers at physiological pH, and their processing into robust biocompatible and biodegradable membranes/devices for controlled drug/therapeutics delivery by resorting to the green and cost-effective bottom-up layer-by-layer assembly nanotechnology. The proposed membranes represent promising sustainable nanocarriers for the encapsulation and sustained release of therapeutics in in vitro and in vivo scenarios, holding great promise to be used as implantable biomaterials for modular tissue engineering and regenerative medicine strategies. This manuscript is part of several themed collections, including Journal of Materials Chemistry B Emerging Investigators and  2023 Journal of Materials Chemistry B Most Popular Articles. We are delighted that this manuscript has been well received by the materials chemistry community and has been gathering the attention of the readers of the journal.