Ions are indispensable to the maintenance of life, with nearly every biochemical process relying on the recognition, transport, or transformation of anions at some stage. The realisation of this pivotal role has stimulated growing interest in the development of artificial ion receptors, which can be applied in diverse areas such as molecular recognition, sensing, and transmembrane transport with implications for biochemistry and biomedicine. Nevertheless, despite the intense efforts and significant advances in this field, the creation of ion receptors and transporters that are truly functional under biologically relevant conditions remains a major challenge. Critical barriers include the need for sufficient binding affinity in complex aqueous environments, selective recognition in the presence of competing species, and the ability to achieve controlled ion transport across lipid membranes. In this context, one of the primary objectives of our recent research has been the design and synthesis of new classes of ion receptors, with a particular focus on elucidating the structural and electronic features that enable effective anion binding and recognition. Our strategy emphasises the development of electroneutral, lipophilic molecules that are capable of strongly interacting with target ions such as Zn2+ and Cl-, while maintaining compatibility with hydrophobic membrane environments. Such receptors not only act as efficient carriers for transmembrane ion transport but also open new avenues for modulating biological processes, including the induction of antimicrobial effects. By bridging the gap between supramolecular chemistry and biological function, our work aims to expand the potential of synthetic ion receptors toward practical biomedical applications. This thesis will open with a literature review (Chapter 1) that surveys the development of supramolecular chemistry and research on ion recognition and ion transport. It then elaborates on applications in antibacterial therapy, drug delivery, and tissue repair, before narrowing to the squaramide scaffold, an important motif in supramolecular chemistry, to discuss its recent advances and applications in these areas.