Water-Soluble Biocompatible Polymers from Sustainable Amino Acid Moieties for Biomedical Applications

Amino acids have emerged as sustainable and versatile building blocks for the creation of functional polymers. Harnessing their intrinsic structural diversity and biological relevance enables the design of unique, well-defined, biocompatible, and highly tailorable macromolecules. Beyond their natural abundance, the exceptional biocompatibility of amino acid-derived polymers positions them as promising candidates for a wide spectrum of biomedical applications. Moreover, the diverse reactive functionalities of amino acids (such as carboxylic acid, amine, thiol, and hydroxyl groups) provide a powerful synthetic toolbox, supporting a broad range of polymerization strategies from step-growth to chain-growth mechanisms. This review highlights the recent developments (2015-present) in the synthesis of amino acid-conjugated polymeric architectures and their biomedical applications. By bridging molecular design, polymer chemistry, and bio-functionality, we highlight the transformative potential of these bioinspired materials and anticipate their pivotal role in shaping the next generation of sustainable and therapeutic polymer platforms.