Themed collection Recent Open Access Articles

Engineering the metabolism of microbes has allowed simultaneous co-production of functional small molecules and biopolymers.

Fluidics are enabling new possibilities in bioelectronic medicine and research.

Water content derived from the environment is as an important a variable as temperature for affecting the conductivity and for understanding the charge transport mechanisms within conductive biomaterials as well as bioelectronic devices.

Molecularly imprinted materials are uniquely suited for glycan recognition. Biologically competitive binding and selective hydrolysis of glycans are achieved through innovation in imprinting techniques and postmodification of the imprinted sites.

Nanoscience has enabled the electrical study of individual biomolecules. This perspective presents the nascent field of RNA BioMolecular Electronics, overviewing the main developments and exploring recent and future potential applications.

Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer with outstanding mechanical robustness, biocompatibility, renewability and surface chemistry, which is an ideal biotemplate for biomineralizing hierarchical nanostructures for biomedical applications.

In recent years, titanium(IV) dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂NPs) have shown promising potential in various biological applications such as antimicrobials, drug delivery, photodynamic therapy, biosensors, and tissue engineering.

Hydrogels with electrically conductive nanomaterials find numerous biomedical applications where conductivity is relevant, such as substrates for tissue engineering of electroactive cells, strain-sensitive sensors and platforms for drug delivery.

Organic-nanoparticles (NPs) delivery systems for crossing the blood–brain barrier.

Strategies for reducing CRS in CAR-T cells capitalize on the specificity between CAR-T cells, cytokines, and their receptors, the role of macrophages in cytokine release, and genetic constructs to ablate CAR-T function reversibly and irreversibly.

Bio-applied molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are biomimetic materials with tailor-made synthetic recognition sites, mimicking biological counterparts known for their sensitive and selective analyte detection.

The present review highlights the developments in polysaccharide nanoparticles with a particular focus on applications in biomedicine, cosmetics and food.

Diatoms are unicellular eukaryotic algae that have a distinctive siliceous cell wall (frustule) with unique architectures. These frustules are a naturally derived biomaterial, which can be chemically modified and may have potential in bone tissue engineering applications.

The biocompatibility and biodegradability of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are discussed to highlight their best biomedical applications up-to-date.

This review discusses nanoemulsion technology as a tool for fabrication of nanoparticles for bone regeneration applications including hydroxyapatite nanoparticles, polymer nanoparticles for drug/biomolecule delivery and bone-targeting nanoparticles.

In this review we discuss the development of nanomaterial based systems for antibacterial applications.

This review introduces the application of metal–organic frameworks in biological imaging, covering the incorporation of imaging functionality, the range of imaging techniques accessible, and their integration with other therapeutic capabilities.

This study provides proof of charge complementarity-based inclusion complex formation between an engineered protein nanocage and an otherwise degradation-prone cargo protein in live bacterial cells.

SQR29 organophotosensitizer was encapsulated into poly(lignin/PEG/PPG urethane) to form a hydrogel (LSQR29), providing excellent antibacterial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) property to combat antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria in wound infection.

We report a simple bioinspired strategy of protein cohabitation for long-term functional storage of therapeutic proteins at room temperature.

Protein-based adsorber materials with defined morphology for the removal of uremic toxins.

Structurally precise biohybrid nanomaterials were created by grafting various polymers to DNA with high conversions under ambient conditions. They are patterned onto DNA origami nanostructures to form customizable surface contours.

MUV-10 exhibits slow physiological degradation kinetics, good dispersibility, high biomolecular loading and excellent immune system biocompatibility.

Fluorescent nanodiamonds are stabilized by a corona of virus capsid proteins. Intracellular diffusion studies were performed suggesting that virus-coated nanodiamonds could be attractive tools for conceptual understanding of cell-virus interactions.

AuNRs immobilized on rigid substrates are utilized as thermo-optical transducers under white light irradiation. The achieved temperature increase is suitable for producing photo-thermal disinfection of surgical tools contaminated with E. coli cells.

Free-standing (FS) membranes encompassing N-(2-hydroxypropyl)-3-trimethylammonium chitosan chloride (HTCC) and alginate (ALG) multilayers triggered a sustained release of FITC-BSA when incorporated as an intrinsic building block of the FS membranes.

Combining the best of both worlds: the properties of synthetic hydrogels and the possibility of complex structures of 3D printing, obtaining an adjustable, flexible, and sustainable drug delivery system.

Schematic representation of α-mannose-functionalized poly(β aminoester) nanoparticle administration to mice and their selective targeting to CD209-expressing antigen-presenting cells.

Tumor-specific drug-delivering nanocarriers could be a promising modality for next-generation tumor therapy.

A series of [2-(nitroaryl)ethenyl]pyridinium and quinolinium derivatives have been synthesised as potential indicators of microbial nitroreductase activity.

Action and dynamics of an anti-cancer drug: how are they affected by an inorganic nanocarrier?

We developed SSN nanovector for ASvicR delivery using natural starch spermine to protect ASvicR from nuclease degradation and achieve high transformation efficiency, inhibit EPS and cariogenicity of S. mutans, maintain oral flora homeostasis.

AMC@SiO₂ core@shell nanocarriers (AMC: amikacin) with 200 nm AMC core, 20 nm silica shell, and unprecedented AMC load (80%) show high activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium abscessus as pulmonal, often multiresistant bacteria.

Antibacterial properties were imparted in polypropylene non-woven fabrics (PP NWFs) via a one-step modification using photo-activated ClO₂˙. The modified PP NWFs showed 99.9% inhibition of bacterial growth against E. coli and S. aureus.

The water-graphenic interface were investigated experimentally (AFM, LDI-MS, and WCA) and theoretically (DFT modelling) providing insights for oxygen plasma functionalization towards enhanced wettability and cell adhesion.

Host–guest interactions were used to direct the interfacial self-assembly of quantum dots into a nanosystem for synergistic chemo-photodynamic therapy against cancer.

The multifunctional theranostic cyanine SLCOOH, capable of real-time imaging of Aβ contents in vivo and targeting multiple pathological pathways or mechanisms of neurodegeneration, was unambiguously demonstrated.

For perspective biosensing applications, we demonstrate the synthesis of sulfamethoxazole derivatives and their site-directed coupling to microfluidic generated hydrogel microparticles.

Vinyl sulfone (VS) functionalization – An innovative conjugation approach for preparation of variable new antigen receptor (VNAR) targeted polymeric nanoparticles.

This work analyses the photomechanical work performance of 4D-printed liquid crystal elastomers under physiological conditions in PBS media.

Thiol-ligand exchange to form either 1D luminescent or 2D non-emissive Ag(I)-based coordination polymers.

Supramolecular self-associating amphiphiles form a variety of self-associated structures demonstrating antimicrobial activity, limited toxicity and number of structure activity relationships.

Highly stable micelles are facilitated by π–π interactions in an amphiphilic block copolymer system consisting of dPGS-SS-POxPPh-Py, where each building block contributes a particular ability.

We applied dendritic mesoporous silica NPs (DMSN NPs) as the deposition matrices to achieve a high dispersion of CeO₂ NPs. Hyperthermia-enhanced CDT combined with DNA damage repair pathway inhibition has a powerful tumor inhibition efficiency.

This paper demonstrates a method for detecting the presence of amplified DNA from bacterial samples using a sterically-stabilised, cationic polymer latex and widely available equipment, providing an accessible alternative DNA detection technique.

Theranostic inorganic–organic hybrid nanoparticles (IOH-NPs) with a cocktail of chemotherapeutic and cytostatic drugs and outstanding drug loading (71–82% of total nanoparticle mass) are evaluated with different cell lines and tumor spheroids.

Combined chemo-immuno-photothermal therapy based on ursolic acid/astragaloside IV-loaded hyaluronic acid-modified polydopamine nanomedicine is a promising strategy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) metastasis.

Highly-versatile two-photon fluorescent-nanoprobe for the detection of wide ranges of intracellular nitric oxide concentrations in macrophages, endothelial and cancer cells.

This work suggests that, in the presence of a magnetic field, the size and magnetization of ultrasmall superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles play dominant roles in tumor penetration.

A schematic representation of FeNP-induced ROS production and its involvement in ferroptosis.

By incorporating [NiFe]-hydrogenases into a proteinaceous carboxysome shell, we generate a novel biocatalyst that has improved production of clean hydrogen, oxygen tolerance, and thermostability, highlighting its great potential in biotechnological applications.

Microcapsule functionalization provides textile materials with controllable release rate-limiting properties. This enables sustained and predictable release of actives and extension of the functional lifetimes of these materials from hours to weeks.

The photoisomerization of chromophores in biological environments is highly important for biomedical applications. While the trans-to-cis isomerization is slow and governed by a torsional mechanism, cis-to-trans is pedal-like on a sub-ps time scale.

The insertion of bis(diarylcarbene)s onto a glass fiber (GF) membrane surface provided an active coating for the direct capture of protein – exemplified by the enzyme, cellulase – through a mild diazonium coupling process which does not require additional coupling agents.

The substitution of Fe²⁺ ions by Zn²⁺ ions in the crystal lattice of ferrites increases both the nanoparticles magnetization, and their photothermal conversion efficiency.

Phospholipids co-localized with collagen were found at the early stages of dentin mineralization in mouse first molar. Plasma membrane phospholipids induced rapid mineralization of collagen.

Developing strategies for the treatment of head and neck malignancies based on nano-structured co-chemotherapeutics is critical for the next cancer management.

Removal of polymer excess in NPs suspension causing colloidal instability. Multidentate polymer is a solution to avoid this critical phenomenon in the application of nanotechnology.

The cellular damage response induced by γ-rays, X-rays and proton beams suggest these type of radiations are promising therapeutic modalities against resistant glioblastoma tumours when combined to stable metallacarboranes as radiosensitizers and PBFR.

The work presents coherently the 3D bioprinted cross-linked drug-loaded gelatin–alginate hydrogel matrices and a detailed description of various properties important for a potential use as wound dressings.

A smart surface was prepared by non-covalently coating of a thermoresponsive copolymer via a simple drop-casting method. The smart surface was conducive to cell culture, from which intact cell sheets could be effectively detached by cooling.

3D printing interconnected porous scaffold with an in-organic-organic material for alveolar ridge preservation.

Control over the amount of dextran added to the formulation of doxorubicin-loaded PLGA nanocarriers impacts their interaction with non-phagocytic cells due to the decrease of protein adsorption with the increase of dextran amount.

Nonionic hyperbranched polymers with phenolic terminal units were synthesized, which are non-leachable, non-cytotoxic, and show significant antibacterial effect.

Bacillus subtilis are probiotic microbes that are difficult to formulate when they are not in their spore form. Using self-assembling coatings, these cells were successfully protected during the freeze-drying process.

Nanomechanical AFM and Raman-Microscopy data give evidence that surface imprinting of bacteria leads to chemical differences in cavities caused by different species. This experimentally corroborates a fundamental assumption of molecular imprinting.

A simple, sensitive, and straightforward method is developed to study the process of molecular imprinting via real-time fluorescence measurements. The imprinted polymer can be used to remove ARS from water, and as a fluorescent probe to detect Cu²⁺.

We report the formation of hollow microparticles through the assembly of lipoproteins in CaCO₃ templates and cross-linking by using Au³⁺ ions.

A new synthetic strategy of thiolated polyaspartamides accelerated their oxidation-induced gelation and anionic polyelectrolytes are released in a controlled manner.

Despite existing as a mixture of isomers, reducing sugar oximes can still be substrates for glycosyltransferases.