Functional thin films, bioactive coatings and nanomaterials are at the core of current efforts to improve the safety, performance and lifetime of medical devices and implants. Implant-associated infections, poor osseointegration, uncontrolled degradation and the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance remain major clinical challenges, and many of them begin at the interface between the material surface and the biological environment. Engineering this interface at the micro- and nanoscale, through tailored composition, morphology and controlled release of active agents, offers a powerful route toward next-generation biomedical materials.

This Special Issue aims to bring together recent advances in the design, fabrication, characterization and biological evaluation of functional thin films, coatings and nanomaterials for biomedical applications. We particularly welcome studies on advanced deposition and processing techniques, including laser-based methods such as Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD), Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) and combinatorial approaches, as well as sol–gel, electrospinning, dip-coating, plasma and other physical or chemical routes.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: bioactive and bioceramic coatings (calcium phosphates, hydroxyapatite, bioactive glasses); polymeric, biopolymeric and composite thin films; antimicrobial, antibiofilm and antifungal surfaces based on antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides, flavonoids, essential oils and other natural compounds; drug-loaded coatings and nanocarriers for controlled and stimuli-responsive release; nanofibers and hydrogels for wound healing and tissue regeneration; coatings designed for challenging clinical conditions such as diabetes; surface functionalization of implants and medical devices; degradation, corrosion and long-term stability of coatings; in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility assessment; and data-driven and artificial intelligence-assisted design and optimization of biomaterials and fabrication processes.

We invite original research articles, communications and comprehensive reviews that connect materials synthesis and processing with structure, properties and biological performance. Contributions that bridge fundamental science and translational or clinical perspectives are especially encouraged, with the aim of offering readers a coherent and up-to-date picture of this rapidly evolving, interdisciplinary field.