Magnetic Targeted Nanomaterials and Applications in Drug Delivery and Diagnostics
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanochemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025
Special Issue Editors
Interests: liposomes; nanoparticles; hydrogels; 2D nanomaterials; biopolymers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: targeted drug delivery; nanomedicines; liposome technology; lipid-based formulations
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Magnetic nanomaterials have emerged at the forefront of precision medicine, offering unique opportunities to surmount the limitations of conventional drug delivery and diagnostic modalities. By integrating magnetic responsiveness with nanoscale engineering, these constructs enable externally guided navigation, controlled payload release, and multimodal imaging contrast—all within a single platform. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) and their derivatives, for example, can be readily functionalized with chemotherapeutics, targeting ligands or fluorescent probes, thereby transforming inert carriers into actively steered theranostic agents. This convergence of magnetism and nanotechnology promises higher therapeutic indices, reduced off‑target effects, and the real‑time tracking of biodistribution.
At the heart of magnetic targeting lies the ability to apply spatially localized magnetic fields that generate translational or rotational forces on nanocarriers, effectively concentrating them at pathological sites. Beyond simple magnetic guidance, alternating magnetic fields can induce localized heating (magnetic hyperthermia) to trigger drug release or ablate tumor tissue, while magnetic particle imaging (MPI) and magneto‑motional ultrasound leverage the same core materials for high‑contrast, high‑sensitivity diagnostics. Surface engineering further broadens functionality—polymer coatings improve colloidal stability and biocompatibility; stimuli‑responsive layers permit pH‑ or enzyme‑triggered cargo liberation; and bioconjugation with antibodies or peptides confers cell‑type specificity.
Recent years have witnessed a surge in hybrid platforms that combine magnetic cores with liposomes, dendrimers, metal–organic frameworks or even biomimetic membranes, each tailored to distinct clinical challenges. In oncology, magnetically guided nanoparticles have demonstrated enhanced tumor penetration and synergistic efficacy when paired with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In neurological disorders, efforts to traverse the blood–brain barrier via magnetophoresis are gaining traction. Meanwhile, diagnostic applications—from early‑stage tumor detection to the monitoring of inflammatory processes—benefit from the dual imaging and therapeutic potential of these agents, setting the stage for truly personalized, image‑guided interventions.
This Special Issue of Molecules brings together advances in the synthesis, characterization, and application of magnetic targeted nanomaterials across drug delivery and diagnostics. We welcome contributions on novel magnetic core–shell architectures; innovative surface chemistries for enhanced targeting and controlled release; in vitro and in vivo evaluations of efficacy, safety, and biodistribution; as well as computational and modeling studies that deepen our mechanistic understanding. By highlighting interdisciplinary approaches that bridge materials science, biology, and clinical translation, this collection aims to chart a roadmap toward next‑generation theranostics—where magnetic nanotechnology not only treats disease with pinpoint accuracy but also illuminates its journey through the body.
Dr. Athanasios Skouras
Prof. Dr. Sophia G. Antimisiaris
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. 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
- magnetic targeting
- theranostics
- drug delivery
- nanomaterials
- magnetic hyperthermia
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