An introduction to biomaterial-based strategies for curbing autoimmunity

Recently, scientists have made significant progress in the development of immunotherapeutics that correct aberrant, autoimmune responses. Yet, concerns about the safety, efficacy, and wide scale applicability continue to hinder use of contemporary, immunology-based strategies. There is a clear need for therapies that finely control molecular and cellular elements of the immune system. Biomaterial engineers have taken up this challenge to develop therapeutics with selective spatial and temporal control of immune cells. In this review, we introduce the immunology of autoimmune disorders, survey the current therapeutic strategies for autoimmune diseases, and highlight the ongoing research efforts to engineer the immune system using biomaterials, for positive therapeutic outcomes in treatment of autoimmune disorders.