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 4838

Special Issue Editor


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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

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Keywords

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

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

35 pages, 8771 KiB  
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
Viewed by 1050
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
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24 pages, 1639 KiB  
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 1 | Viewed by 3048
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
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