Themed collection Carbon Nanostructures in Biology and Medicine

Guest editors Nazario Martín, Tatiana Da Ros and Jean-François Nierengarten introduce this Journal of Materials Chemistry B themed issue on carbon nanostructures in biology and medicine.

Glyco(mimetic)-coated fullerenes and nanodiamonds are playing a decisive role in the investigation of the lectin–enzyme crosstalk behaviours elicited by (hetero)multivalency.

Fullerenes and related carbon based derivatives have shown a growing relevance in biology and medicine, mainly due to the unique electronic and structural properties that make them excellent candidates for multiple functionalization.

Immobilization of carbonic anhydrase on SWCNTs by application of the CNT binding peptide (CBP) strategy.

Carbon nanostructures have unique physical, chemical, and electrical properties, which have attracted great interest from scientists. Carbon dots, carbon nanotubes, graphene and other carbon nanomaterials are being successfully implemented in electrochemical sensing, biomedical and biological imaging.

This review summarizes and discusses the development of the design, fabrication and biomedical applications of GO-based functional composites.

A review on the applications of single-walled carbon nanotube photoluminescence in biomolecular sensing and biomedical imaging.

We review the recent advances in the application of GQDs as innovative nanoplatforms for anticancer therapy and bioimaging.

Imaging of individual SWCNTs inside neural stem cells has been demonstrated using confocal scanning Raman microscopy. Hyperspectral Raman imaging allowed detection of nanomaterials applied to the cell in ultra-low doses in long-term studies.

An amphiphilic C₆₀–PEG conjugate was modified by the addition of cationic moieties in the hydrophobic C₆₀ part to provide the related bis- and tris-adducts and their self-assembling structures were compared.

A novel electrochemiluminescence immunosensor based on carbon nanotubes for PSMA detection in very complex matrixes exceeds the state of-the-art.

Development of an intrinsically fluorescent nanofibrous scaffold of polycaprolactone–gelatin for skin tissue regeneration and noninvasive monitoring of scaffold activity in vivo.

Immune-camouflaged GO nanosheets with CD47-like SIRPα binding molecules can reduce the phagocytosis by macrophages, enhancing tumor delivery.

Polycarbodiimide cloaking of photoluminescent single-walled carbon nanotubes modulates their surface chemistry, protein corona, and uptake in cancer cells.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes undergo length-dependent intracellular bundling in macrophages that affects retention.

Supramolecular assemblies of amphiphilic glycodendro[60]fullerenes have been tested in an artificial Ebola virus infection assay.

Nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous co-doped water-soluble carbon nanodots are synthesized from culinary waste onion peel powder (OPP) by a short microwave treatment.

Biodegradable β-TCP implant materials functionalized with diamond nanoparticles are generated and characterized.

Functional hollow carbon nanospheres were prepared and antibody modified, which improved the targeted delivery of anti-tumor drug.

A dramatic enhancement in the glycosidase multivalent inhibitory effect was observed while going from a dodecavalent iminosugar ball to the corresponding giant molecule with 120 peripheral subunits.

The synthesis of biocompatible polymers for coating applications has gained significant attention in recent years due to the increasing spread of infectious diseases via contaminated surfaces.

C₆₀@lysozyme showed significant visible light-induced singlet oxygen generation in a physiological environment, indicating the potential of this hybrid as an agent for photodynamic therapy.

Despite the advantages of an electrochemical control of drug release, only a handful of electrochemical-based release systems have been developed so far.

New and bright N,S co-doped GQDs are synthesized and serve as fluorescence probes for parallel and selective detection of Fe³⁺, Cu²⁺ and Ag⁺ ions in biological and environmental samples.

Distinct peroxidase-like catalytic activity of small organic probe self-assembled nanofibers is reported for the first time.