The potential advantages of pharmaceutical additive manufacturing (AM) are thoroughly described in the literature. Challenges related to pharmaceutical AM are less discussed. Selective laser sintering (SLS) is one of the AM methods possible for pharmaceutical applications. The article addresses aspects of SLS that are not typically explored in pharmaceutical studies. The literature research was conducted in parallel for both non-pharmaceutical (technical) and pharmaceutical SLS. As a result, in-depth studies on the temperature-dependent properties (rheological and optical) and thermal properties of powders for general technical printing are presented, along with the characterization of the laser sintering process. Special attention is given to the development of the "processing window" and "energy density" terms, as they continue to evolve. An application of a wide range of thermal analysis techniques is presented, including fast differential calorimetry, hot-stage microscopy, thermovision, and dielectric thermal analysis. Next, the complexity, regarding crystalline/semicrystalline/amorphous substances combination and their melt miscibility for pharmaceutical powders is marked. Pharmaceutical SLS studies are also analyzed, with emphasis on thermal aspects. Generally, pharmaceutical studies lack meaningful temperature-dependent and thermal analysis. The only significant exception is studies on drug substance amorphization during the SLS process. The main message is that pharmaceutical SLS should benefit from the methods and ideas developed for technical SLS. In particular, the research directions should include: (1) conscious powder design regarding the specificity of SLS manufacturing method, which completely different from powder compression (API - excipients matching), (2) extending the set of research methods, (3) consolidation process elucidation, (4) powder reusing or powder reusing avoiding, (5) searching for potential new carriers/excipients dedicated to pharmaceutical SLS process.

Science, technology, and innovation are related but distinct, leading to different research incentives. Incremental science, such as refining methods and validating findings, ensures robust results and understanding, laying the groundwork for breakthroughs. Due to pressures for ongoing innovation, fundamental research is frequently seen as an obstacle hindering scientific progress instead of an investment. The time fundamental research requires to bear fruit can detract from its immediate relevance, and impatience surrounding the urgency for rapid innovation further devalues the relatively slow, methodical approach of basic science. But this emphasis can be misleading, as many crucial advances arise from incremental improvements or refinements rather than radical breakthroughs. Insisting on scientific novelty devalues the work that lays the essential groundwork for reliable scientific progress and endorses a culture where only the most sensational achievements are celebrated, marginalising the essential contributions of those engaged in less glamorous, yet equally important, foundational research. We argue that instead of focusing on celebrating novelty and its often-unrealised societal impacts, science and technology should better value more vital basic, incremental, and knowledge-based contributions necessary for sustaining innovation and ensuring its diverse, positive impacts.

Chronic lung diseases (CLD), including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension, represent a significant health burden worldwide and their incidence is steadily increasing. Specifically, COPD and lung fibrosis lead to progressive tissue loss, particularly in the alveolar region, and can currently mainly be treated symptomatically, with some therapies slowing down progression. Regenerative cell therapy offers promising approaches to repair and restore permanently damaged lung tissue, focusing on different cell types such as epithelial, stromal, endothelial and pluripotent stem cells. Despite positive results in preclinical studies and initial clinical trials, large successes are lagging behind. This shows that there is still a considerable need for further research into e.g. optimal conditions, including cell sources and administration methods in humans. Challenges such as successful translation of beneficial strategies in animal models, safety risks of new strategies and the control of cell localization need to be addressed in more detail. Future research approaches should therefore support the identification of suitable cell types, the improvement of cell protection strategies and the development of predictable human models to enable the successful clinical application of regenerative cell therapy in CLD.