Recent Advances in Nanomedicine Using Organoids, Microfluidics, and Organ-on-a-Chip Technologies

Dear Colleagues,

Nanomedicine has emerged as one of the most promising approaches for improving disease diagnosis, molecular imaging, drug delivery, and therapeutic efficacy. Nanoparticles and other nanoscale systems have demonstrated remarkable potential for targeted therapies, controlled drug release, theranostic applications, and precision medicine, contributing to significant advances in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, infectious, and inflammatory diseases.

Despite these advances, the successful translation of nanomedicines from laboratory research to clinical practice remains challenging. Traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture models often fail to reproduce the complexity of human tissues, while animal models may not fully reflect human physiology and disease progression. Consequently, there is a growing demand for more predictive and physiologically relevant experimental platforms capable of improving the evaluation of nanomedicine safety, efficacy, biodistribution, permeability, and therapeutic response.

Recent developments in three-dimensional cellular systems, including spheroids, organoids, microfluidic devices, and organ-on-a-chip technologies, have transformed preclinical research by providing more realistic models of human tissues and diseases. These advanced platforms enable the recreation of tissue architecture, cellular heterogeneity, vascularization, microenvironmental interactions, and dynamic physiological conditions that are difficult to reproduce using conventional experimental models.

The integration of nanomedicine with organoids, microfluidics, and organ-on-a-chip technologies has opened new opportunities for investigating nanoparticle–cell interactions, targeted drug delivery, blood–brain barrier permeability, tumor microenvironment dynamics, therapeutic efficacy, toxicity, and personalized treatment strategies. Furthermore, these platforms have become valuable tools for studying cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, regenerative medicine, and other biological and medical applications.

Technological innovations in microphysiological systems, stem cell-derived models, patient-derived organoids, and microfluidic platforms continue to expand the possibilities for drug screening, disease modeling, diagnostic development, and therapeutic evaluation. These approaches are increasingly recognized as important alternatives to conventional animal experimentation, contributing to more predictive, translational, and personalized healthcare solutions.

Therefore, this Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in nanomedicine investigated through organoids, microfluidics, and organ-on-a-chip technologies, with emphasis on drug delivery, diagnostics, therapeutic evaluation, disease modeling, and precision medicine applications.

Dr. Lionel Gamarra
Guest Editor

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