The Preparation of an Exosome/Liposomal Nano-Drug Delivery System and Its Application in the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Dear Colleagues,

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, poses a significant global health challenge due to its complex pathogenesis, chronic progression, and limited therapeutic options. Recent advances in nanotechnology and extracellular vesicle research have opened promising avenues for targeted drug delivery and personalized medicine. This Special Issue of Pharmaceutics focuses on the innovative development, optimization, and application of exosome- and liposome-based nano-drug delivery systems (NDDSs) for IBD treatment. These nanocarriers offer enhanced biocompatibility, improved mucosal penetration, and reduced off-target effects, while enabling the precise delivery of therapeutic cargo—including siRNA, anti-inflammatory agents, and probiotics—to inflamed intestinal tissues.

This Special Issue invites original research articles, reviews, and perspectives addressing the following topics:

• Design and Fabrication: Novel strategies for constructing exosome/liposome hybrid systems and advanced drug encapsulation techniques.
• Targeting and Functionalization: Techniques to improve delivery specificity to IBD-associated cells (e.g., macrophages, epithelial cells) through surface modification and functionalization.
• Pharmacokinetics and Biodistribution: In-depth studies using preclinical IBD models to evaluate the in vivo behavior and efficacy of NDDSs.
• Mechanistic Insights: Exploration of the mechanisms underlying immune modulation and tissue repair, as well as the mediation of these processes by exosome-/liposome-delivered therapeutics.
• Translational Challenges: Discussion on scalability, stability, and regulatory hurdles in moving NDDSs from bench to bedside.
• Combination Therapies: Investigation into synergistic treatments that combine NDDSs with biologics, small molecules, or microbiome-modulating agents.
• Innovative Models and Methods: Employment of cutting-edge characterization techniques (e.g., cryo-EM, single-vesicle analysis) and advanced in vitro/in vivo models (e.g., organoids, gut-on-a-chip) to enhance research outcomes.

By bridging the gap between fundamental science and clinical translation, this Special Issue aims to foster interdisciplinary collaborations among pharmacologists, material scientists, gastroenterologists, and bioengineers. This compilation of research will serve as a comprehensive resource for advancing personalized nanomedicine approaches to effectively manage IBD and pave the way for next-generation therapies.

The Special Issue of Pharmaceutics welcomes submissions on the following topics: drug delivery, nanomedicine, pharmacokinetics, and targeted therapy. The Special Issue of Biomedicines welcomes submissions that focus on the pathogenesis and mechanisms of inflammatory bowel disease and immunomodulation.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Pharmaceutics.

Dr. Dingpei Long
Prof. Dr. Jialing Bao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short 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 thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomedicines 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 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• exosomes
• liposomes
• nano-drug delivery systems
• inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• targeted therapy
• mucosal drug delivery
• drug encapsulation
• immunomodulation
• nanomedicine
• extracellular vesicles
• personalized medicine