New Advances in Functional Nanomaterials, Nanomedicines and Biosensors Based on Nucleic Acids

Dear Colleagues,

Nucleic acids, including DNA and RNA, play a critical role in a variety of applications beyond genetic function. In recent years, nucleic acids have been used in a wide range of applications in functional nanomaterials, nanomedicines, and biosensors. In the field of nanomaterials, these materials combine FNAs, such as DNA enzymes and aptamers, with nanomaterials such as gold nanoparticles and MnO₂ nanosheets. They can be used for targeted drug delivery, gene regulation, intracellular imaging, and in vivo sensing. In the field of nanomedicine, nanotechnology is utilized to enhance the delivery and efficacy of nucleic acids such as siRNA, miRNA, and DNA. Nanoparticles enhance the delivery of nucleic acids by protecting them from degradation and increasing their bioavailability. In the field of biosensors, aptamers, DNA enzymes, and other recognition elements that can interact with different targets have been developed by utilizing the unique properties of DNA and RNA. Using these biorecognition elements in combination with appropriate transducers, binding events are converted into measurable signals. These biosensors are critical in diagnostics, enabling rapid detection of pathogens, gene mutations and biomarkers. Their high sensitivity and specificity make them valuable in immediate detection and research applications.

Dr. Yuancong Xu
Dr. Peng Cao
Guest Editors

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