Toward Sex-Specific Biomaterials Innovation: A Perspective

Sex-related differences influence key biological processes relevant to biomaterials research, including tissue regeneration, immune response, drug metabolism, and relevant diseases. Despite increasing recognition of sex as a critical biological variable, biomaterials research has historically relied on generalized study designs that fail to account for sex-specific physiological variability. This oversight has contributed to inconsistencies in biomaterial performance, reduced predictive accuracy in preclinical studies, and increased the risk of suboptimal clinical outcomes. A transition toward sex-specific biomaterials research is necessary to advance precision medicine and ensure that biomaterials are designed to perform optimally across different patient populations. This perspective examines the motivations and barriers to integrating sex-related differences in biomaterials, including current approaches to (pre)clinical study design, data generation and sharing, funding realities, and regulatory frameworks. This work also highlights biomaterials applications for female-specific conditions, from pelvic floor disorders and uterine wound healing to endometriosis. Furthermore, biomaterials applications for diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes, and cancer are discussed in terms of sex-related differences in immune response, drug metabolism, and tissue regeneration and the subsequent impact on biomaterial performance. To address these challenges, this perspective proposes strategies for improving biomaterials research, including the adoption of standardized experimental frameworks, integration and aggregation of sex-specific analyses in data sets, and application of artificial intelligence-driven biomaterial evaluation. Priorities for collaborative partners, funding bodies, and regulatory agencies in facilitating these solutions are outlined to improve scientific practice and clinical applicability. By implementing these strategies, biomaterial designs can move beyond a one-size-fits-all paradigm and improve alignment with the principles of precision medicine.