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Pharmaceutics
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Inorganic Nanomaterials for the Development of Drug Delivery and Biomedical...
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Inorganic Nanomaterials for the Development of Drug Delivery and Biomedical Applications

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Delivery and Controlled Release".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 7020

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jianping Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Departments of Diagnostic Radiology, Surgery, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119074, Singapore
2. Nanomedicine Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117544, Singapore
Interests: cancer theranostics; inorganic nanomaterials; drug delivery

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Various types of inorganic nanomaterials, such as upconverting nanoparticles, quantum dots, magnetic nanoparticles, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, graphene oxide, gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes and layered double hydroxide nanoparticles, have been widely studied as therapeutic drugs and delivery carriers in the biomedical field. Their controllable physicochemical characteristics, unique optical/electrical/magnetic/catalytic properties and good biocompatibility mean inorganic nanoparticles have great potential to improve humans’ medical conditions and aid in the early detection, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of various diseases. For example, iron oxide nanoparticles and gold nanoparticles are approved for clinical application, and other kinds of inorganic nanoparticles are currently undergoing clinical trials.

However, a complete revolution in inorganic nanomedicine for drug delivery and biomedical applications is still a long way away. This Special Issue will focus on “Inorganic Nanomaterials for the Development of Drug Delivery and Biomedical Applications” and is an open forum where researchers can share their investigations and findings in this promising field. Contributions to this collection, both in the form of original research and review articles, may cover all aspects of the biomedical applications of inorganic nanoparticles; studies with multidisciplinary input offering new methodologies or insights are particularly welcome.

Dr. Jianping 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. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2900 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

  • inorganic nanoparticles
  • drug delivery
  • disease diagnosis
  • disease treatment
  • nano-biosensor
  • cancer theranostics
  • cancer imaging

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Review

30 pages, 5963 KB  
Review
Engineering Inorganic Nanoparticles to Induce Cuproptosis: A New Strategy for Cancer Therapy
by Zhenxing Jiang, Jianwei Dai, Juanjuan Jiang, Shenghe Deng, Junnan Gu, Jun Wang, Mian Chen, Wentai Cai, Ke Wu, Kaixiong Tao, Ke Liu and Kailin Cai
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(11), 1383; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17111383 (registering DOI) - 24 Oct 2025
Abstract
Cuproptosis is a newly identified type of copper (Cu)-dependent programmed cell death (PCD), triggered when Cu directly interacts with the lipoylated components of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and it has shown significant antitumor potential. However, challenges such as insufficient Cu accumulation in [...] Read more.
Cuproptosis is a newly identified type of copper (Cu)-dependent programmed cell death (PCD), triggered when Cu directly interacts with the lipoylated components of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and it has shown significant antitumor potential. However, challenges such as insufficient Cu accumulation in tumor cells, systemic toxicity, and the lack of specific carriers for effectively inducing cuproptosis hinder its practical application. Inorganic nanoparticles (INPs) present a promising solution due to their unique ability to target specific areas, potential for multifunctional modification, and controlled release capabilities. Their distinctive physicochemical properties also enable the integration of synergistic multimodal cancer therapies. Therefore, utilizing INPs to induce cuproptosis represents a promising strategy for cancer treatment. This review systematically elucidates the regulatory mechanisms of Cu homeostasis and the molecular pathways underlying cuproptosis, thoroughly discusses current INP-based strategies designed to trigger cuproptosis, and comprehensively examines the multi-modal synergistic antitumor mechanisms based on cuproptosis. Finally, we also address the current challenges and future perspectives in developing clinically applicable nanoplatforms aimed at harnessing cuproptosis for effective cancer therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inorganic Nanomaterials for the Development of Drug Delivery and Biomedical Applications)
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35 pages, 8771 KB  
Review
The Role of Inorganic Nanomaterials in Overcoming Challenges in Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy
by Jun Wang, Hanwenchen Wang, Falong Zou, Junnan Gu, Shenghe Deng, Yinghao Cao and Kailin Cai
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(4), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17040409 - 25 Mar 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2228
Abstract
Colorectal cancer poses a significant threat to human health due to its high aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Key factors impacting patient outcomes include post-surgical recurrence, chemotherapeutic drug resistance, and insensitivity to immunotherapy. Consequently, early diagnosis and the development of effective targeted therapies are [...] Read more.
Colorectal cancer poses a significant threat to human health due to its high aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Key factors impacting patient outcomes include post-surgical recurrence, chemotherapeutic drug resistance, and insensitivity to immunotherapy. Consequently, early diagnosis and the development of effective targeted therapies are essential for improving prevention and treatment strategies. Inorganic nanomaterials have gained prominence in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer owing to their unique size, advantageous properties, and high modifiability. Various types of inorganic nanomaterials—such as metal-based, metal oxide, quantum dots, magnetic nanoparticles, carbon-based, and rare-earth nanomaterials—have demonstrated significant potential in enhancing multimodal imaging, drug delivery, and synergistic therapies. These advancements underscore their critical role in improving therapeutic outcomes. This review highlights the properties and development of inorganic nanomaterials, summarizes their recent applications and progress in colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment, and discusses the challenges in translating these materials into clinical use. It aims to provide valuable insights for future research and the clinical application of inorganic nanomaterials in colorectal cancer management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inorganic Nanomaterials for the Development of Drug Delivery and Biomedical Applications)
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24 pages, 1639 KB  
Review
Titanium Dioxide Nanomaterials: Progress in Synthesis and Application in Drug Delivery
by Fanjiao Zuo, Yameng Zhu, Tiantian Wu, Caixia Li, Yang Liu, Xiwei Wu, Jinyue Ma, Kaili Zhang, Huizi Ouyang, Xilong Qiu and Jun He
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(9), 1214; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16091214 - 16 Sep 2024
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3855
Abstract
Background: Recent developments in nanotechnology have provided efficient and promising methods for the treatment of diseases to achieve better therapeutic results and lower side effects. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanomaterials are emerging inorganic nanomaterials with excellent properties such as low toxicity and [...] Read more.
Background: Recent developments in nanotechnology have provided efficient and promising methods for the treatment of diseases to achieve better therapeutic results and lower side effects. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanomaterials are emerging inorganic nanomaterials with excellent properties such as low toxicity and easy functionalization. TiO2 with special nanostructures can be used as delivery vehicles for drugs, genes and antigens for various therapeutic options. The exploration of TiO2-based drug delivery systems shows great promise for translating nanotechnology into clinical applications; Methods: Comprehensive data on titanium dioxide were collected from reputable online databases including PubMed, GreenMedical, Web of Science, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, and National Intellectual Property Administration; Results: In this review, we discuss the synthesis pathways and functionalization strategies of TiO2. Recent advances of TiO2 as a drug delivery system, including sustained and controlled drug release delivery systems were introduced. Rigorous long-term systematic toxicity assessment is an extremely critical step in application to the clinic, and toxicity is still a problem that needs to be closely monitored; Conclusions: Despite the great progress made in TiO2-based smart systems, there is still a great potential for development. Future research may focus on developing dual-reaction delivery systems and single-reaction delivery systems like redox and enzyme reactions. Undertaking thorough in vivo investigations is necessary prior to initiating human clinical trials. The high versatility of these smart drug delivery systems will drive the development of novel nanomedicines for personalized treatment and diagnosis of many diseases with poor prognosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inorganic Nanomaterials for the Development of Drug Delivery and Biomedical Applications)
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