State-of-the-art Rational Nanodesign: From Screening to Theranostics and from Bench to Clinic

Advances in nanotechnology fabrication in the last decade have allowed for the development of customized screening, diagnostic, therapeutic, and multifunctional nanosystems that attempt to address a variety of health issues including cancer, inflammatory processes, autoimmune disorders, joint degeneration, infectious disease, and many others. The ability to engineer tailored formulations through intentional design, surface optimization, and targeted biodistribution has greatly enhanced the potential of nanovehicles and nanostructures in the management of disease.

There has been an emergence of opportunities within the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of management, and through preventative, screening, and monitoring approaches. Purposeful design choices in terms of molecule, structural modification, and bioactivity considerations or enhancements have heightened the ability to customize the intended function of nanoformulations. Recent advances include dendrimers, polymeric nanoparticles and liposomes enhancing drug delivery. A variety of biomolecules with desirable properties for biological interaction can now be manipulated for various objectives, making personalized medicine an achievable goal. With increased translation rates from bench to clinic, there is also a need to better understand current and future challenges of these applications.

This Research Topic is open to contributions which encompass a variety of aspects of the current state-of-the-art in health-related nanosystems, including but not limited to:

(1) Fabrication and characterization of novel formulations for biomedical purposes.
(2) Mechanistic studies or studies focusing on rational design.
(3) Experimental studies or reviews of current nanotechnology applications in specific diseases or using specific types of formulations.
(4) Clinical research for bench to bedside translation in specific diseases or using specific types of formulations.
(5) Explorations of advantages and disadvantages of various formulations or design approaches, with a focus on comparing and contrasting potential for translation.
(6) Studies or reviews exploring potential long-term considerations of nanotechnology interaction with the human body.
(7) Explorations of current regulatory and commercial considerations for nanoproducts.



Important note: All manuscripts submitted to this collection will need to follow the Guidelines for the conception/peer-review of submissions of the Experimental Pharmacology and Drug Discovery Section. Studies carried out with crude extracts/multiherbal preparations or Original Research based solely on in silico techniques will not be considered for review.