With rising risk to the environment and human health, the race for biodegradable plastics is gaining pace – with several projects under way at Flinders University in South Australia.

Published in Polymers, one of the latest experiments finds researchers combining calcium caseinate – a commercially available derivative of casein, the main protein in milk – with modified starch and bentonite nanoclay into a thin film, adding glycerol and polyvinyl alcohol to improve its strength and plasticity.

Recently, Prof. Jian LU's team (City University of Hong Kong, CityU HK) has engineered breakthrough 3D-printed artificial bone scaffolds. These superelastic scaffolds achieve a high recoverable strain (6% – 7%) and feature on-demand tuning of modulus, strength, permeability, and more. This advancement enables site-specific adaptive solutions for complex bone defects while offering valuable inspirations for multifunctional metamaterials across engineering fields.

Flexible electronic skin (E-skin) sensors offer innovative solutions for detecting human body signals, enabling human–machine interactions and advancing the development of intelligent robotics. Electrospun nanofibers are particularly well-suited for E-skin applications due to their exceptional mechanical properties, tunable breathability, and lightweight nature. Nanofiber-based composite materials consist of three-dimensional structures that integrate one-dimensional polymer nanofibers with other functional materials, enabling efficient signal conversion and positioning them as an ideal platform for next-generation intelligent electronics. Here, this review begins with an overview of electrospinning technology, including far-field electrospinning, near-field electrospinning, and melt electrospinning. It also discusses the diverse morphologies of electrospun nanofibers, such as core–shell, porous, hollow, bead, Janus, and ribbon structure, as well as strategies for incorporating functional materials to enhance nanofiber performance. Following this, the article provides a detailed introduction to electrospun nanofiber-based composite materials (i.e., nanofiber/hydrogel, nanofiber/aerogel, nanofiber/metal), emphasizing their recent advancements in monitoring physical, physiological, body fluid, and multi-signal in human signal detection. Meanwhile, the review explores the development of multimodal sensors capable of responding to diverse stimuli, focusing on innovative strategies for decoupling multiple signals and their state-of-the-art advancements. Finally, current challenges are analyzed, while future prospects for electrospun nanofiber-based composite sensors are outlined. This review aims to advance the design and application of next-generation flexible electronics, fostering breakthroughs in multifunctional sensing and health monitoring technologies.

Osteocalcin (OCN), a non-collagenous protein synthesized by osteoblasts, is integral to bone mineralization and demonstrates significant effects on metabolic and neurological functions. Its undercarboxylated form, Glu-OCN, has emerged as a key regulator of glucose metabolism in diabetes, bone density in osteoporosis (OP), and lipid metabolism in conditions such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Additionally, Glu-OCN is implicated in neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases through its roles in neurotransmitter synthesis and vascular calcification, respectively. This review examines the essential functions of Glu-OCN in the management of metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders, emphasizing its significance as both a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target. While findings to date are promising, most studies remain observational. Advanced detection methodologies and extensive longitudinal studies are urgently needed to elucidate the mechanisms and clinical applications of Glu-OCN. Advancements in this area could facilitate the integration of Glu-OCN into personalized medicine approaches, improving early diagnosis, risk assessment, and treatment monitoring.