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Nanocarriers for Diagnostics, Imaging and Drug Delivery

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 429

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemistry, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
Interests: cancer; chemotherapy; drug delivery; peptide; prodrug; micelles; theranostics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemistry, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
Interests: drug delivery; exosome; glycopeptide; glycosylation; oligosaccharide; tumor vaccines
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The integration of nanotechnology with diagnostics, imaging, and drug delivery has emerged as a transformative field, holding great promise for advancing personalized medicine. Nanocarriers, with their unique size and surface properties, can navigate biological barriers and interact with cellular components in ways that traditional agents cannot. For example, nanocarriers can be engineered to target specific tissues or cells, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy. In diagnostics, they can serve as highly sensitive probes for early disease detection. In imaging, they can improve contrast and resolution, aiding in the precise visualization of pathological conditions. For drug delivery, nanocarriers can protect therapeutic agents from degradation and ensure their targeted release, overcoming challenges like drug resistance. This Special Issue seeks to compile the latest advancements in nanocarrier research, focusing on innovative designs and mechanisms of action. We invite submissions that explore the development of multifunctional nanocarriers, the use of advanced materials to enhance stability and targeting, and the translation of nanocarriers from bench to bedside. By highlighting these advancements, we aim to push the boundaries of nanotechnology in healthcare and inspire further research towards more effective and personalized treatments.

Prof. Dr. Jie Pan
Dr. Yonghui Liu
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Molecules 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 2700 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

  • nanocarriers
  • diagnostics
  • imaging
  • drug delivery
  • targeted therapy

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

36 pages, 4435 KB  
Review
Nuclear-Targeted Drug Delivery Systems for Cancer Therapy: Advances, and Challenges
by Yonghui Liu, Yanan Wu, Yifan Wu, Dong Wan, Cheng Zhang, Yongzhen Pei and Jie Pan
Molecules 2026, 31(9), 1437; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31091437 - 26 Apr 2026
Viewed by 154
Abstract
The development of nuclear-targeted drugs has provided a more favorable option for tumor therapy. However, multiple biological barriers in vivo greatly reduce the efficiency of drug entry into the nucleus, rendering tumor therapy largely ineffective. Notably, the nucleus remains a critical therapeutic target, [...] Read more.
The development of nuclear-targeted drugs has provided a more favorable option for tumor therapy. However, multiple biological barriers in vivo greatly reduce the efficiency of drug entry into the nucleus, rendering tumor therapy largely ineffective. Notably, the nucleus remains a critical therapeutic target, as most anticancer agents exert their effects through direct interactions with nuclear DNA or inhibition of topoisomerase activity, thereby disrupting DNA structure and impeding replication/transcription processes. This review systematically examines advanced delivery strategies for nuclear-targeted drug systems, explores their diverse therapeutic applications in oncology, and analyzes current challenges alongside future opportunities to guide the development of next-generation intelligent nuclear delivery platforms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocarriers for Diagnostics, Imaging and Drug Delivery)
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