Nature Biomedical Engineering, Published online: 27 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41551-026-01819-zPolyzwitterionic coacervates with therapeutic payload delivery, mimicking physiological lubrication and cartilage-binding functionalities, reduce joint friction and inflammation in rat and mini-pig osteoarthritis models.

What protocell experiments demonstrate and what remains unresolved about life’s beginnings.

Coacervates, formed via liquid–liquid phase separation, are dynamic droplets generally used to analyze subcellular functions and the origin of life. Their independent microenvironments, selective enrichment, and signal responsiveness make them fundamental models of protocells that exhibit the characteristics required for drug delivery including high encapsulation efficiency, selective permeability, and responsive release. This review compares the development, design principles, and key characteristics of coacervate systems in these two areas and how they may inform each other, highlighting coacervates as a versatile platform connecting basic research into the origins of life with biomedical applications. Current challenges are critically discussed to offer valuable insights for future interdisciplinary development and encourage productive exchange between prebiotic compartmentalization and biomedical engineering.

Achieving robust adhesion in wet and biological environments remains a major challenge in biotechnology and medicine. Coacervates are emerging as versatile adhesive platforms that function effectively under hydrated conditions. Their fluid-like nature enables efficient spreading at interfaces, while subsequent mechanical reinforcement stabilizes adhesion without permanent curing. In this review, we present a unifying framework in which adhesion arises from the interplay of interfacial wetting, multivalent interactions, viscoelastic energy dissipation, and kinetic arrest. We discuss how designing phase behavior and arrest dynamics can transform coacervates into functional bioadhesive interfaces for tissue sealing, drug delivery, and biointerface engineering. Finally, we outline challenges in predictive design, spatiotemporal control over arrest, and clinical translation, highlighting adhesive coacervates as multifunctional materials for complex wet environments.

Nature Reviews Materials, Published online: 20 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41578-026-00950-2Although liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a fundamental biological principle, the potential of LLPS-driven engineered coacervates remains largely untapped. This Review reframes coacervates as powerful liquid biomaterials, detailing how their unique properties can be harnessed for diverse biomedical applications.

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Read the full paper: Dynamic and Catalytic Multiphase Coacervates

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Here, the formation of double hydrophilic brush block copolymer-based simple coacervates is presented. The system phase separates into polymer-enriched droplets at elevated concentrations. The additi...

Materials scientist Omar Saleh’s NSF-funded research explores how charged polymers could power next-generation adhesives and drug delivery systems.

The cytoskeleton is vital for living organisms. Now an artificial cytoskeleton within amylose-based coacervates stabilized by a terpolymer membrane has been developed using polydiacetylene fibrils to ...

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