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Recent Trends of Functional Nanomaterials for Biomedical and Healthcare Applications (2nd Edition)

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 7853

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sudeshna Chandra

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg—Institute for Advanced Study (HWK), Lehmkuhlenbusch 4, 27753 Delmenhorst, Germany
Interests: metal/metal oxide nanomaterials; hybrid metal sulfides nanomaterials; biosensors; energy devices; characterization of nanomaterials; electrochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Heinrich Lang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
MAIN Research Center, Research Group Organometallics, Technische Universität Chemnitz, Rosenbergstr. 6, 09126 Chemnitz, Germany
Interests: organometallics; coordination chemistry; homogeneous catalysis; nanomaterials; electrochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the first volume of our Special Issue on “Recent Trends of Functional Nanomaterials for Biomedical and Healthcare Applications”, researchers contributed to topics ranging from novel drug delivery systems and diagnostic tools to bioimaging techniques, all leveraging the unique properties of nanomaterials. The published articles showcased the versatility of functional nanomaterials like fluorescent carbon dots, metal sulfides and gold nanoparticles, graphene oxide, cerium oxides nanoparticles, lipids, and so on, offering innovative solutions for challenges in medical diagnostics, therapeutics, and patient care.

Building on the success of our first volume, we are happy to announce the launch of the second volume of our Special Issue, which promises to be even more dynamic and impactful. The second volume delves even deeper into the ground-breaking advancements within the realm of nanotechnology in medicine and healthcare, with a special emphasis on wearable devices, implants, and bioelectronics. The integration of nanomaterials into wearable devices, implants, and bioelectronics represents a paradigm shift in healthcare monitoring and personal well-being. We invite researchers, scholars, and experts to submit their work on the above topics while also welcoming contributions from the realms of drug delivery, biosensing, computational approaches, theranostics, bioimaging, etc.

Dr. Sudeshna Chandra
Prof. Dr. Heinrich Lang
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

  • nanomaterials
  • implants and wearable devices
  • drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy
  • biosensors and bioelectronics
  • biocompatible and toxicity
  • bio-imaging and diagnostics
  • healthcare devices
  • theranostic platforms

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 7565 KiB  
Article
Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine Lipid Vesicles for Delivering HMB, NMN, and L-Leucine in Sarcopenia Therapy
by Alfred Najm, Alexandra Cătălina Bîrcă, Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu, Adina Alberts, Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu, Bianca Gălățeanu, Bogdan Ștefan Vasile, Mircea Beuran, Bogdan Severus Gaspar and Ariana Hudiță
Molecules 2025, 30(7), 1437; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30071437 - 24 Mar 2025
Viewed by 280
Abstract
Sarcopenia, characterized by the degeneration of skeletal muscle tissue, has emerged as a significant concern in recent years. This increased awareness stems from advances in research focusing on elderly patients, which have revealed correlations between aging mechanisms and muscle degeneration, beyond the mere [...] Read more.
Sarcopenia, characterized by the degeneration of skeletal muscle tissue, has emerged as a significant concern in recent years. This increased awareness stems from advances in research focusing on elderly patients, which have revealed correlations between aging mechanisms and muscle degeneration, beyond the mere fact that tissues age and deteriorate over time. Consequently, the present study aims to address sarcopenia by developing and evaluating DPPC lipid vesicles that encapsulate three distinct drugs: HMB, NMN, and L-Leucine. These drugs are specifically selected for their properties, which facilitate effective interaction with the affected muscle tissue, thereby promoting desired therapeutic effects. Preliminary physicochemical analyses indicate the successful formation of spherical lipid vesicles, characterized by nanometric dimensions and stable membrane integrity. The biological investigations aimed to highlight the potential of DPPC lipid vesicles encapsulating HMB, NMN, and L-Leucine to alleviate sarcopenia-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress. Through a comparative evaluation of the three drug formulations, we demonstrate that drug-loaded DPPC vesicles effectively mitigate oxidative damage, preserve mitochondrial function, and maintain cytoskeletal integrity in H2O2-induced C2C12 myotubes, with HMB-loaded vesicles showing the strongest protective effects against muscle degeneration. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of DPPC-based controlled release systems for sarcopenia treatment and highlight the need for further investigations into their mechanistic role in muscle preservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends of Functional Nanomaterials for Biomedical and Healthcare Applications (2nd Edition))
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15 pages, 3196 KiB  
Article
Decoration of Silver Nanoparticles on WS2-WO3 Nanosheets: Implications for Surface-Enhanced Resonance Raman Spectroscopy Detection and Material Characteristics
by Khaled Al Youssef, Adrien Chauvin, Jean-François Colomer and Carla Bittencourt
Molecules 2025, 30(3), 530; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30030530 - 24 Jan 2025
Viewed by 774
Abstract
This study investigates the chemical and structural modifications of vertically aligned tungsten disulfide–tungsten trioxide (WS2-WO3) nanosheets decorated with silver nanoparticles (Ag(NPs)) under nitrogen plasma conditions. The synthesized vertically aligned WS2-WO3 nanosheets were functionalized through direct-current (DC) [...] Read more.
This study investigates the chemical and structural modifications of vertically aligned tungsten disulfide–tungsten trioxide (WS2-WO3) nanosheets decorated with silver nanoparticles (Ag(NPs)) under nitrogen plasma conditions. The synthesized vertically aligned WS2-WO3 nanosheets were functionalized through direct-current (DC) magnetron sputtering, forming silver-decorated samples. Structural changes, as well as the size and distribution of Ag(NPs), were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Chemical state analysis was conducted via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), while Raman spectroscopy was employed to investigate vibrational modes. The findings confirmed the successful decoration of Ag(NPs) and identified unexpected compound transformations that were dependent on the duration of functionalization. The synthesized and functionalized samples were evaluated for their sensing capabilities towards Rhodamine B (RhB) through surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS). This study discusses the impact of substrate morphology and the shape and size of nanoparticles on the enhancement of SERRS mechanisms, achieving an enhancement factor (EF) of approximately 1.6 × 106 and a limit of detection (LOD) of 10−9 M. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends of Functional Nanomaterials for Biomedical and Healthcare Applications (2nd Edition))
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16 pages, 3426 KiB  
Article
Maximizing Upconversion Luminescence of Co-Doped CaF₂:Yb, Er Nanoparticles at Low Laser Power for Efficient Cellular Imaging
by Neha Dubey, Sonali Gupta, Sandeep B. Shelar, K. C. Barick and Sudeshna Chandra
Molecules 2024, 29(17), 4177; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29174177 - 3 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1652
Abstract
Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are well-reported for bioimaging. However, their applications are limited by low luminescence intensity. To enhance the intensity, often the UCNPs are coated with macromolecules or excited with high laser power, which is detrimental to their long-term biological applications. Herein, we [...] Read more.
Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are well-reported for bioimaging. However, their applications are limited by low luminescence intensity. To enhance the intensity, often the UCNPs are coated with macromolecules or excited with high laser power, which is detrimental to their long-term biological applications. Herein, we report a novel approach to prepare co-doped CaF2:Yb3+ (20%), Er3+ with varying concentrations of Er (2%, 2.5%, 3%, and 5%) at ambient temperature with minimal surfactant and high-pressure homogenization. Strong luminescence and effective red emission of the UCNPs were seen even at low power and without functionalization. X-ray diffraction (XRD) of UCNPs revealed the formation of highly crystalline, single-phase cubic fluorite-type nanostructures, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed co-doped UCNPs are of ~12 nm. The successful doping of Yb and Er was evident from TEM–energy dispersive X-ray analysis (TEM-EDAX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies. Photoluminescence studies of UCNPs revealed the effect of phonon coupling between host lattice (CaF2), sensitizer (Yb3+), and activator (Er3+). They exhibited tunable upconversion luminescence (UCL) under irradiation of near-infrared (NIR) light (980 nm) at low laser powers (0.28–0.7 W). The UCL properties increased until 3% doping of Er3+ ions, after which quenching of UCL was observed with higher Er3+ ion concentration, probably due to non-radiative energy transfer and cross-relaxation between Yb3+-Er3+ and Er3+-Er3+ ions. The decay studies aligned with the above observation and showed the dependence of UCL on Er3+ concentration. Further, the UCNPs exhibited strong red emission under irradiation of 980 nm light and retained their red luminescence upon internalization into cancer cell lines, as evident from confocal microscopic imaging. The present study demonstrated an effective approach to designing UCNPs with tunable luminescence properties and their capability for cellular imaging under low laser power. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends of Functional Nanomaterials for Biomedical and Healthcare Applications (2nd Edition))
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23 pages, 5161 KiB  
Article
Cerium Dioxide–Dextran Nanocomposites in the Development of a Medical Product for Wound Healing: Physical, Chemical and Biomedical Characteristics
by Ekaterina V. Silina, Natalia E. Manturova, Olga S. Ivanova, Alexander E. Baranchikov, Elena B. Artyushkova, Olga A. Medvedeva, Alexey A. Kryukov, Svetlana A. Dodonova, Mikhail P. Gladchenko, Ekaterina S. Vorsina, Maria P. Kruglova, Oleg V. Kalyuzhin, Yulia G. Suzdaltseva and Victor A. Stupin
Molecules 2024, 29(12), 2853; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29122853 - 15 Jun 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2021
Abstract
Purpose of the study: the creation of a dextran coating on cerium oxide crystals using different ratios of cerium and dextran to synthesize nanocomposites, and the selection of the best nanocomposite to develop a nanodrug that accelerates quality wound healing with a new [...] Read more.
Purpose of the study: the creation of a dextran coating on cerium oxide crystals using different ratios of cerium and dextran to synthesize nanocomposites, and the selection of the best nanocomposite to develop a nanodrug that accelerates quality wound healing with a new type of antimicrobial effect. Materials and methods: Nanocomposites were synthesized using cerium nitrate and dextran polysaccharide (6000 Da) at four different initial ratios of Ce(NO3)3x6H2O to dextran (by weight)—1:0.5 (Ce0.5D); 1:1 (Ce1D); 1:2 (Ce2D); and 1:3 (Ce3D). A series of physicochemical experiments were performed to characterize the created nanocomposites: UV-spectroscopy; X-ray phase analysis; transmission electron microscopy; dynamic light scattering and IR-spectroscopy. The biomedical effects of nanocomposites were studied on human fibroblast cell culture with an evaluation of their effect on the metabolic and proliferative activity of cells using an MTT test and direct cell counting. Antimicrobial activity was studied by mass spectrometry using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry against E. coli after 24 h and 48 h of co-incubation. Results: According to the physicochemical studies, nanocrystals less than 5 nm in size with diffraction peaks characteristic of cerium dioxide were identified in all synthesized nanocomposites. With increasing polysaccharide concentration, the particle size of cerium dioxide decreased, and the smallest nanoparticles (<2 nm) were in Ce2D and Ce3D composites. The results of cell experiments showed a high level of safety of dextran nanoceria, while the absence of cytotoxicity (100% cell survival rate) was established for Ce2D and C3D sols. At a nanoceria concentration of 10−2 M, the proliferative activity of fibroblasts was statistically significantly enhanced only when co-cultured with Ce2D, but decreased with Ce3D. The metabolic activity of fibroblasts after 72 h of co-cultivation with nano composites increased with increasing dextran concentration, and the highest level was registered in Ce3D; from the dextran group, differences were registered in Ce2D and Ce3D sols. As a result of the microbiological study, the best antimicrobial activity (bacteriostatic effect) was found for Ce0.5D and Ce2D, which significantly inhibited the multiplication of E. coli after 24 h by an average of 22–27%, and after 48 h, all nanocomposites suppressed the multiplication of E. coli by 58–77%, which was the most pronounced for Ce0.5D, Ce1D, and Ce2D. Conclusions: The necessary physical characteristics of nanoceria–dextran nanocomposites that provide the best wound healing biological effects were determined. Ce2D at a concentration of 10−3 M, which stimulates cell proliferation and metabolism up to 2.5 times and allows a reduction in the rate of microorganism multiplication by three to four times, was selected for subsequent nanodrug creation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends of Functional Nanomaterials for Biomedical and Healthcare Applications (2nd Edition))
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Review

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26 pages, 3499 KiB  
Review
Nanomedicines for Dry Eye Syndrome: Targeting Oxidative Stress with Modern Nanomaterial Strategies
by Aleksandra Krawczyk, Sara Marta Stadler and Barbara Strzalka-Mrozik
Molecules 2024, 29(16), 3732; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29163732 - 7 Aug 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2235
Abstract
Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a dynamic, chronic disease of the ocular surface and ocular appendages caused by inflammation. The most common symptoms include redness, itching, and blurred vision, resulting from dysfunction of the meibomian glands and impaired tear-film production. Factors contributing to [...] Read more.
Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a dynamic, chronic disease of the ocular surface and ocular appendages caused by inflammation. The most common symptoms include redness, itching, and blurred vision, resulting from dysfunction of the meibomian glands and impaired tear-film production. Factors contributing to the development of DES include environmental elements, such as UV radiation, and internal elements, such as hormonal imbalances. These factors increase oxidative stress, which exacerbates inflammation on the surface of the eye and accelerates the development of DES. In recent years, the incidence of DES has risen, leading to a greater need to develop effective treatments. Current treatments for dry eye are limited and primarily focus on alleviating individual symptoms, such as reducing inflammation of the ocular surface. However, it is crucial to understand the pathomechanism of the disease and tailor treatment to address the underlying causes to achieve the best possible therapeutic outcomes. Therefore, in this review, we analyzed the impact of oxidative stress on the development of DES to gain a better understanding of its pathomechanism and examined recently developed nanosystems that allow drugs to be delivered directly to the disease site. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends of Functional Nanomaterials for Biomedical and Healthcare Applications (2nd Edition))
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