Natural and synthetic polysaccharides have been recognized and applied as attractive candidates for various biomedical and biotechnological applications such as bioactive therapeutic, diagnosis, controlled drug delivery, gene therapy, theranostic, cell-encapsulation, tissue engineering, and medical device, due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, inherently low immunogenicity, and unique bioactive properties. Polysaccharides contain different chemical groups (e.g., hydroxy, amine, carboxyl, and aldehyde) that can be utilized for further functional modification. Moreover, advanced strategies for the chemical modification of polysaccharides facilitate their design and application as versatile building blocks of functional biomaterials with desired biological activities and performances.

The present special issue is motivated by the observed increasing interest and emerging creative research output shown in the field of polysaccharide-based biomaterials. It is the aim of this special issue to disseminate researches and advancements in the design, synthesis, modification, and characterization of polysaccharides, which can be used alone or applied as part of a complex system for biomedical researches and clinical applications. Original full research papers, communications, and review articles are accepted.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Polysaccharides with biological activities (e.g., antitumor, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial activities)
• Design and synthesis of functional polysaccharides or oligosaccharides for biomedical applications
• Polysaccharide‐incorporated synthetic polymeric biomaterials
• Polysaccharides as effective excipients of drug formulations
• Polysaccharide-based macromolecular prodrugs
• Polysaccharides for drug delivery, gene delivery, 3D cell culture, and cell delivery
• Polysaccharide-based theranostic platforms
• Bioresponsive polysaccharides
• Polysaccharide vaccines and their immune responses
• Polysaccharide scaffolds for tissue engineering
• Polysaccharide-based medical devices