Special Issue "Nanotechnology and Cancer Therapeutics"

Guest Editor
Dr. Shaker A. Mousa
Professor of Pharmacology, Executive Vice President and Chairman, Pharmaceutical Research Institute at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 1 Discovery Drive (Room 238), Rensselaer, New York 12144, USA
E-Mail:
Interests: Drug discovery and drug development utilizing key enabling technologies including nanotechnology; biotechnology, stem cell, and novel pharmacotherapy. Areas of interest include: cell adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix; treatment and prevention of ischemic and coronary artery diseases; angiogenesis modulation; vascular and tissue remodeling; novel anti-platelet, anti-thrombotic and early detection and treatment of diseases with unmet medical need ranging from oncology, ophthalmology, cardiovascular, and vascular disorders

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to take this opportunity in inviting review articles having key innovations that would help accelerate progress in the field of Nanotechnology in early cancer detection and treatment. It is becoming clear to all of us that the application of nanotechnology and biotechnology utilizing nanoparticles for combined targeting and delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents has tremendous potential for early detection and treatment of various disorders. Nanoparticles may be constructed from a wide range of organic and inorganic materials such as emulsions, micelles, liposomes, dendrimers, quantum dots, and other polymeric materials. These materials are being used to encapsulate or covalently bind to the surface of the nanoparticles site directed moiety (s). Several multifunctional nanoparticles are being evaluated in early detection and therapeutics.

The next generation of nanoparticles-based research is directed at the consolidation of functions into strategically engineered multifunctional devices, which may ultimately facilitate the realization of individual therapy. These nanoparticles may be capable of (a) improving delivery of hydrophobic compounds (water insoluble); (b) improving stability of unstable peptides or easily inactivated compounds such as polyphenols and others; (c) identifying malignant cells via molecular detection; (c) visualizing their location in the body by providing enhanced contrast in medical imaging techniques; (d) targeting and killing diseased cells with minimal side effects through selective cell or tissue targeting; (e) polyvalent antidote for reversal of intoxication or toxins; and (f) delivering multiple drug targets for combination therapy.

One of the best known examples for reformulated, nanoparticles-based drug delivery is Doxil. Doxil, approved in the U.S. in 1995, is the poly (ethylene glycol)-coated, liposome-encapsulated form of doxorubicin in cancer chemotherapy. A more recent commercial product Abraxane, consists of an albumin-based reformulation of paclitaxel, which was approved in the U.S. in 2005. Other examples are in preclinical and early clinical investigations.

Dr. Shaker A. Mousa
Guest Editor

Submission Information

All manuscripts should be submitted to cancers@mdpi.org with a copy to the Guest Editor. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed Open Access monthly journal published by MDPI.

For the first two issues, to be published in 2009 and 2010, the Article Processing Charges (APC) will be waived for well-prepared manuscripts. English correction and/or formatting fees of 250 CHF (Swiss Francs) will be charged in certain cases for those articles accepted for publication that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections.

• early detection using in vivo imaging modalities
• biosensors
• site directed delivery of chemotherapy into different tumor types using specific directed targets
• metal nanoparticles such as gold nanoparticles in the detection and treatment of breast cancer, and other types of cancer
• use of nanotechnology with nutraceuticals for chemoprevention