Functional Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: functional nucleic acids; nanomaterials; drug delivery systems; molecular diagnostics; biomaterials; theranostics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Integrating functional nanomaterials into drug delivery systems marks a significant step forward in solving issues like poor solubility and systemic toxicity, leading to the development of more effective treatments. Functional nanomaterials can be applied in cancer therapy, gene therapy, infectious diseases, neurological disorders, and vaccine delivery. These advancements are essential for enhancing patient outcomes in clinical settings.
This Special Issue aims to collect research on the creation, characterization, and use of functional nanomaterials for targeted drug delivery. We welcome submissions that explore the following:
- New nanocarriers include hybrid composites, lipid-based systems, polymeric nanoparticles, and inorganic nanomaterials.
- Clever methods for drug delivery systems, including sustained-release, targeted, and stimuli-responsive approaches.
Over the past few decades, nanotechnology has been designed to improve targeting, biocompatibility, controlled release, and drug solubility. The initial application of nanocarriers focused on hydrophilic and hydrophobic drug encapsulation. Some drug delivery system used lipid nanoparticles for the delivery of mRNA. Drug delivery can be improved by nanomaterials to increase bioavailability, lessen side effects, and allow for personalized treatments.
Recently, nanomaterials have drawn a significant amount of interest due to their potential applications in a variety of sectors, most notably biomedicine and pharmacy, where they can be used for biological imaging, drug and gene delivery, tissue engineering, medical implants, cancer treatment, and more. Moreover, research in functional nanomaterials in recent years has focused on improving the multifunctionality and biocompatibility of drugs.
In this Special Issue, we welcome the submission of the following types of papers:
- Original research articles: in vitro/in vivo research, drug-loading techniques, and experimental or computational investigations of new nanomaterials.
- Reviews: critical evaluations of current developments, difficulties, and emerging patterns.
- Methodological papers: new developments in characterization, synthesis, or production of nanoparticles.
- Clinical and translational research: reporting on regulatory pathways, commercialization, and toxicity.
Prof. Dr. Zhenbao Liu
Guest Editor
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. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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.
Keywords
- functional nucleic acids
- nanomaterials
- biomaterials
- drug delivery systems
- molecular diagnostics
- theranostics
- targeted drug delivery
- nanotechnology
- functional nanomaterials
- responsive nanocarriers
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