Special Issue "From Molecules to Nanomaterials"

Guest Editor
Aprof. Dr. Jiye Fang
Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA
Website: http://chemiris.chem.binghamton.edu/FANG
E-Mail: jfang@binghamton.edu
Phone: +1 607 777 3752
Fax: +1 425 988 1050
Interests: synthesis of shape- and size-controlled metallic nanocrystals and their electrocatalytic applications in fuel cells (both anode and cathode); self-assembly and superstructure of nanopolyhedra (both single- and binary compositions); synthesis of semiconductor nanocrystals and their thermoelectric/photovoltaic applications; synthesis of 1D and core-shell structured functional nanomaterials; high-pressure exploration of nanopolyhedron-based superlattices

Dear Colleagues,

Nanomaterials cross a bridge between bulk materials and substances on atomic/molecular scale. With dimensions generally between 1 and 100 nanometres, nanomaterials have shown various novel and interesting characteristics. The chemical and physical properties of nanomaterials may differ significantly from those of bulk materials, but they may also ‘inherit’ properties from atoms/molecules. There has been a tremendous research interest in studying the scale between molecules and nanomaterials. The combined special issue on “From Molecules to Nanomaterials” for the journals International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067) and Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991) will focus on this transition area. We invite submissions of original research articles or comprehensive reviews on, but not limited to, the following topics:

• novel characterization method in molecular science and nanomaterials
• computation and computer modelling of molecules, clusters and/or nanostructures
• molecular and polymer self-assembly
• new developments of molecular science in biological, medical and chemical applications (with link to nanomaterials)
• new synthesis and processing methods for nanostructured materials from molecular precursors
• manipulation and patterning of low-dimensional materials
• functionalization and new applications of nanomaterials (with link to molecular sciences)
• energy-related nanomaterials and hybrid nanocomposite materials
• novel concepts for nanomaterials and/or molecular sciences

Associate Professor Jiye (James) Fang
Guest Editor

Submission

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. 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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed Open Access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs).

Related Special Issues in Other Journals

• From Molecules to Nanomaterials in Nanomaterials

• molecules
• nanostructures (nanocrystals, nanowires, …)
• nanocomposite
• molecular and polymer self-assembly
• characterization
• functionalization
• computation
• modelling
• synthesis and nano-manipulation
• quantum dots

Type of Paper: Review
Title: Nanomaterials for Cancer Therapy: Advances in Drug Delivery
Author: Consolacion Melguizo Alonso et al.
Affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Institute of Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine (IBIMER), School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada 18071, Spain; E-Mail: melguizo@ugr.es
Abstract: Nanoparticulate technology is of particular use in developing a new generation of more effective cancer therapies capable of overcoming many biological, biophysical and biomedical barriers. A wide range of platforms nanomedicine as polymeric micelles, liposomes, dendrimers and polymeric nanoparticles have been widely explored to increase the effectiveness of drugs in the treatment of cancer. Targeted delivery of drug molecules to tumor tissue is one of the most interesting and challenging endeavors faced in pharmaceutical field. In recent years there has been significant progress on specifically concentrate the drug into the site of action. These advances have led to a significant improvement of the chemotherapy effect with a minimization of the related adverse side effects.  In this review, we provide a description of the different types of nanomaterials explored to date in cancer therapy and the significant advances in rationally multi-functional surface modification in order to in order to improve drug delivery to the tumor cells.

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Characterization of Different Functionalized Lipidic Nanocapsules As Potential Drug Carriers
Author: P. Sánchez-Moreno ¹, J.L. Ortega-Vinuesa ¹, A. Martín-Rodríguez ¹, H. Boulaiz ², J.A. Marchal-Corrales ² and J.M. Peula-García ^3,*
Affiliation: ¹ Biocolloid and Fluid Physics Group, Department of Applied Physics, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
² Human Anatomy and Embryology Department, Regenerative Biomedicine Institute (IBIMER), University of Granada, Campus de la Salud, 18071, Granada, Spain
³ Department of Applied Physics II, University of Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain; E-Mail: jmpeula@uma.es
Abstract: Lipid nanocapsules (LNC) based on a core-shell structure consisting of an oil-filled core with a surrounding polymer layer are known to be promising vehicles for the delivery of hydrophobic drugs in the new therapeutic strategies in anticancer treatments. The present work has been designed as a basic research study in order to develop different LNC systems. We have synthesized – and physico-chemically characterized – three different LNC systems in which the core was constituted by olive oil and the shell by different phospholipids (phosphatidylserine or lecithin) and other biocompatible molecules such as Pluronic^® F68 or chitosan. The surface modification of this kind of nanoparticles with antibodies may be an interesting strategy to facilitate the specific nanocapsule uptake by cancer cells. This is why, the nanoparticles with phosphatidylserine in their shell has been also used in this work to generate immuno-nanocapsules with covalently bound anti-C reactive protein immunoglobuline G (aCRP-IgG) in their surface by means of a simple and reproducible carbodiimide method. An immunological study was carried out verifying the colloidal stability and the specific immuno-response of this system. Furthermore, nile-red-loaded LNC were prepared to develop a preliminary “in vitro” study. Using two different cell lines: breast carcinoma (MCF-7) and mammary epithelial cells (MCF10A), cancer cells showed a higher fluorescence than normal cells when a 2h treatment was performed with fluorescent carriers.