Recent Advances in Nanosystems for Drug Delivery and Cancer Therapy

Dear Colleagues,

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, representing a major challenge for modern medicine due to its biological complexity, heterogeneity, and resistance to conventional therapies. The continuous need for more effective and selective treatment strategies has driven the exploration of advanced technologies capable of overcoming the limitations of traditional approaches. In this context, nanotechnology has revolutionized biomedical research, offering powerful tools for precise drug delivery and innovative cancer therapies. Nanoscale systems, such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, inorganic nanostructures, and extracellular vesicles (EVs), enable controlled pharmacokinetics, targeted delivery, and reduced systemic toxicity. Moreover, the integration of diagnostic and therapeutic functionalities within a single nanoplatform has fostered the emergence of theranostic approaches, paving the way toward personalized cancer therapy.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current progress and future perspectives in the design and application of advanced nanosystems for drug delivery and cancer therapy. It seeks to highlight interdisciplinary approaches that integrate materials science, nanotechnology, and biomedical research, with the ultimate goal of improving the precision, selectivity, and safety of anticancer treatments. Both synthetic and naturally derived nanosystems, ranging from engineered nanoparticles to vesicle-based delivery platforms, fall within the scope of this Special Issue.

We welcome contributions that report on innovative nanosystems designed for targeted or stimuli-responsive drug release, combination therapies, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. We particularly encourage the submission of studies on multifunctional nanoplatforms integrating therapeutic and diagnostic functions, as well as investigations into the interactions between nanomaterials and biological systems. Advances in understanding the mechanisms governing nanosystem behavior in vitro and in vivo are essential to the acceleration of clinical translation.

We invite the submission of original research articles, reviews, and communications covering, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Synthesis, functionalization, and characterization of nanocarriers for drug delivery;
• Targeted and controlled-release nanosystems for cancer therapy;
• Vesicle-based nanocarriers for therapeutic applications;
• Theranostic and multifunctional nanoplatforms;
• Studies on biocompatibility, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity of nanomaterials;
• Translational and preclinical research in nanomedicine and oncology.

With this Special Issue, we aim to showcase research advancing our understanding and the application of nanotechnology in the development of next-generation cancer therapies.

Dr. Eleonora Calzoni
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 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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials 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 2400 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.