Magnetic, Luminescent and Hybrid Nanoplatforms as Anti-Cancer Drug Delivery Systems: From Targeted Therapy to Translational Pharmacology

Theranostic nanomedicine has emerged as a powerful approach for integrating diagnosis, imaging, targeted therapy, and real-time therapeutic monitoring within a single platform. Magnetic nanomaterials are emerging as precision drug delivery systems enabling magnetically guided accumulation, controlled release, and hyperthermia-based combination therapy with conventional anti-cancer drugs. Luminescent nanoplatforms, particularly in the near-infrared (NIR) window, allow real-time monitoring of drug biodistribution and therapeutic response at the tumor site. Together, hybrid opto-magnetic nanosystems offer an integrated pharmacological toolkit for personalized oncology. In parallel, advances in stimuli-responsive systems, multimodal imaging, AI-assisted diagnostics, and combination therapies have accelerated the development of next-generation nanotheranostics.

This Research Topic aims to provide a platform for researchers working on nanomedicine systems for cancer, with emphasis on multifunctional design, therapeutic precision, and translational potential. It will cover innovative nanocarrier engineering, nano-bio interactions, imaging and therapeutic strategies, preclinical evaluation, and emerging perspectives toward clinical translation.

Topics of interest include:
• Magnetically controlled and stimuli-responsive nanomedicine for spatiotemporal drug delivery
• Magnetic hyperthermia and integrated combination therapies
• NIR-luminescent nanocarriers for real-time pharmacokinetic monitoring and drug response assessment in vivo
• Photoactivated nanotherapeutics
• Opto-magnetic and hybrid nanocarriers for spatiotemporally controlled co-delivery of anti-cancer agents
• Targeted nanomedicine for cancer
• Nano–bio interactions, pharmacokinetics, and biosafety
• Preclinical validation and translational perspectives towards clinical application

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Theranostic nanomedicine, Magnetic nanoparticles, Drug delivery systems, Near-infrared (NIR) luminiscence, Targeted cancer therapy, Magnetic hyperthermia, Photoactivated nanotherapeutics, Magnetic/luminescent hybrid nanomedicine

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