Bacterial biopolymers are naturally occurring materials comprising a wide range of molecules with diverse chemical structures that can be produced from renewable sources following the principles of the circular economy. Over the last decades, they have gained substantial interest in the biomedical field as drug nanocarriers, implantable material coatings, and tissue-regeneration scaffolds or membranes due to their inherent biocompatibility, biodegradability into nonhazardous disintegration products, and their mechanical properties, which are similar to those of human tissues. The present review focuses upon three technologically advanced bacterial biopolymers, namely, bacterial cellulose (BC), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), and γ-polyglutamic acid (PGA), as models of different carbon-backbone structures (polysaccharides, polyesters, and polyamides) produced by bacteria that are suitable for biomedical applications in nanoscale systems. This selection models evidence of the wide versatility of microorganisms to generate biopolymers by diverse metabolic strategies. We highlight the suitability for applied sustainable bioprocesses for the production of BC, PHA, and PGA based on renewable carbon sources and the singularity of each process driven by bacterial machinery. The inherent properties of each polymer can be fine-tuned by means of chemical and biotechnological approaches, such as metabolic engineering and peptide functionalization, to further expand their structural diversity and their applicability as nanomaterials in biomedicine.

Summary: Bacterial biopolymers such as bacterial cellulose (BC), alginate or polyhydroxyalkanotes (PHAs) have aroused the interest of researchers in many fields, for instance biomedicine and packaging, due to their being biodegradable, biocompatible and renewable. Their properties can easily be tuned by means of microbial biotechnology strategies combined with materials science. This provides them with highly diverse properties, conferring them non‐native features. Herein we highlight the enormous structural diversity of these macromolecules, how are they produced, as well as their wide range of potential applications in our daily lives. The emergence of new technologies, such as synthetic biology, enables the creation of next‐generation‐advanced materials presenting smart functional properties, for example the ability to sense and respond to stimuli as well as the capacity for self‐repair. All this has given rise to the recent emergence of biohybrid materials, in which a synthetic component is brought to life with living organisms. Two different subfields have recently garnered particular attention: hybrid living materials (HLMs), such as encapsulation or bioprinting, and engineered living materials (ELMs), in which the material is created bottom‐up with the use of microbial biotechnology tools. Early studies showed the strong potential of alginate and PHAs as HLMs, whilst BC constituted the most currently promising material for the creation of ELMs.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has emerged as a highly promising biomaterial due to its exceptional purity, high mechanical strength, excellent biocompatibility, and tunable nanostructure. Although its potential in a wide range of biomedical applications is well recognized, its clinical translation remains limited by a fragmented research landscape. Key aspects such as microbial production, material optimization, and application-specific functionalization are often studied independently by researchers from different disciplines, slowing the development of integrated, effective biomedical solutions. This review aims to bridge these gaps by offering a comprehensive and interdisciplinary synthesis that connects advances in BC biosynthesis, its physicochemical properties, and its diverse biomedical applications. We first explore engineering and processing strategies to enhance BC production, including bioprocess optimization and genetic engineering. We then highlight what makes BC particularly suitable for biomedical use, followed by an in-depth discussion of its roles in wound healing, drug delivery, tissue engineering (e.g., blood vessels, cartilage, cornea), bone regeneration, biosensors, and dental applications. Special attention is given to recent innovations and ongoing challenges in functionalization and clinical scalability. By providing a clear and structured overview of the field, this review seeks to promote dialogue across disciplines and support the development of robust, application-ready BC-based biomaterials for the next generation of biomedical solutions.