Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology for Precision Medicine

Health Care is experiencing a remarkable paradigm shift: the current approach, known as “ONE-SIZE FITS ALL”, is under intense challenge by the emerging PRECISION MEDICINE approach. This approach will profoundly impact many different aspects of medical technology. Indeed, even though this revolution is at the very beginning and many challenges remain unsolved, PRECISION MEDICINE will likely be the future healthcare approach for cancer and chronic diseases.

The discovery of targetable genetic alterations is one of the main aims of PRECISION MEDICINE since it will target disease-causing genes in a sequence-specific manner. GENE THERAPY and drugs based on RNA TECHNOLOGY (e.g., small interfering RNA, siRNA, messenger RNA, mRNA) can downregulate, augment or correct the expression of target genes, allowing more precise and personalized treatments. The patient-specific therapeutic response will also depend on the ability to deliver these innovative therapeutics to the selected molecular targets by precise drug delivery systems. The high molecular weight, negative charges, and biological instability of these compounds make the delivery of genetic material particularly challenging. Non-viral nanoparticles, especially lipid nanoparticles, seem the best option to deliver efficiently such large and fragile molecules to their molecular targets, as demonstrated by COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Unfortunately, all the nanoparticle-based medicines used in clinics today do not allow the precise and quantitative delivery required for precision medicine.

This specific research topic intends to explore the frontiers of PHARMACEUTICAL NANOTECHNOLOGY, envisioning how targeted drug delivery strategies will contribute to precision medicine's future outcomes. The Editors welcome the submission of articles in the form of Reviews, Mini Reviews, Original Research, and Perspectives on the following topics:



• Nanoparticles engineered for genetic material delivery

• Stability issues of genetic material during formulation and shelf life

• Excipients for genetic material stabilization and delivery

• Targeting strategies for precision medicine

• Biological barriers hindering precise delivery

• Biological barriers heterogeneity

• Nanoparticle/biological microenvironment interaction

• Biocorona formation and evolution in health and disease

• Barriers to nanomedicine clinical translation

Keywords: nanomedicine, nanoparticles, genetic materials, precision medicine

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.