The tumor microenvironment (TME), characterized by hypoxia, acidity, redox imbalance, and aberrant enzyme expression, imposes major barriers to conventional cancer therapies. Nanomedicines that are engineered to sense and respond to these pathological cues provide promising opportunities for precise and effective treatment. Among various designs, organic, inorganic, and hybrid structured nanoparticles have emerged as versatile platforms owing to their tunable physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and potential for multifunctional integration.
This Research Topic will focus on the design and synthesis of microenvironment-responsive organic, inorganic, and hybrid structured nanoparticles, and their applications in tumor therapy and imaging. Emphasis will be placed on innovative synthetic strategies, stimuli-specific responsiveness (e.g., pH, redox, enzymatic, or hypoxia-triggered), and the development of multifunctional nanoplatforms for drug/gene delivery, photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, chemodynamic therapy, immunotherapy combinations, and diagnostic imaging.
We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini-Review, and Perspective articles covering, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Novel Synthesis & Structural Engineering: Organic (polymeric, lipidic), inorganic (metallic, oxide, carbon-based), and hybrid structured nanoparticles.
• Stimuli-Responsive Mechanisms: Activation by pH, redox potential, enzymatic cleavage, hypoxia, or external stimuli (light, temperature).
• Therapeutic & Imaging Applications: Targeted drug/gene delivery, combination therapies, overcoming resistance, multimodal imaging, and theranostic integration.
• Translational Insights: In vivo efficacy, biodistribution, safety, pharmacokinetics, and scale-up considerations for clinical translation.
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
- Editorial
- FAIR² Data
- Mini Review
- Opinion
- Original Research
- Perspective
- Review
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Keywords: Self-assembly, Stimuli-responsive nanomedicines, Biomaterials, Targeted therapy, Controlled release, Drug delivery systems, Synergistic effect
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.
