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12.5
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Pharmaceutics
Special Issues
Nanomaterials for Cell Biological and Biomedical Applications
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Nanomaterials for Cell Biological and Biomedical Applications

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 1722

Editor

Dr. Zan Dai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Children’s Cancer Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2033, Australia
Interests: nanomaterials; drug and gene delivery; regenerative medicine; biomedical nanotechnology; cell-nanomaterial interactions; immuno-nanomedicine; functionalized nanoparticles; biosensors and diagnostics; nano-bio interfaces; translational nanomedicine

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanomaterials are revolutionizing biomedical research and cell biology by enabling innovative approaches in drug delivery, diagnostics, and regenerative medicine. Their nanoscale size, tunable properties, and high biocompatibility allow precise interactions with biological systems, opening new frontiers in therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in the development and application of nanomaterials for biomedical research. We welcome contributions on a range of topics, including but not limited to the following:

  • Nanoparticle-based drug and gene delivery systems;
  • Biofunctional nanomaterials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine;
  • Nanotechnology-driven imaging and diagnostic platforms;
  • Understanding nanomaterial–cell interactions and their biological effects;
  • Translational challenges and safety considerations in clinical applications.

This Special Issue seeks to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and advance the development of nanomaterials for improved therapeutic and diagnostic outcomes. Therefore, we invite researchers from diverse disciplines, including nanomedicine, bioengineering, materials science, and molecular biology, to contribute their latest findings.

By bringing together cutting-edge research and expert perspectives, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the evolving role of nanotechnology in biomedical science, addressing both its potential and future challenges.

Dr. Zan Dai
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-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

  • nanomaterials
  • drug and gene delivery
  • regenerative medicine
  • biomedical nanotechnology
  • cell-nanomaterial interactions
  • immuno-nanomedicine
  • functionalized nanoparticles
  • biosensors and diagnostics
  • nano-bio interfaces
  • translational nanomedicine

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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21 pages, 33300 KB  
Article
Cell Therapy for Ischemic Stroke with Nanoparticle-Labeled 293T Cells and Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: A Feasibility Study
by Kuo-Feng Huang, Te-Sun Chou and Jong-Kai Hsiao
Pharmaceutics 2026, 18(6), 704; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18060704 - 8 Jun 2026
Viewed by 301
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Stroke remains the second leading cause of death worldwide, and cell therapy is among the most actively investigated strategies for its treatment. Recent transcriptomic evidence has revealed that 293T cells—the most widely used transient transfection model—possess a neural crest/neuronal lineage, making them [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Stroke remains the second leading cause of death worldwide, and cell therapy is among the most actively investigated strategies for its treatment. Recent transcriptomic evidence has revealed that 293T cells—the most widely used transient transfection model—possess a neural crest/neuronal lineage, making them a candidate for acute neural tissue engineering. Methods: We implanted iron oxide nanoparticle-labeled 293T cells (293T-ION) into an ischemic rat brain and monitored them longitudinally by 7T MRI, using ION-labeled bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (rMSC-ION) as a direct comparison. Functional recovery was assessed via mNSS and corner test scores, and infarct size was quantified by MRI. Results: 293T-ION cells showed no migration throughout the 40-day observation period, and functional recovery plateaued early compared with the progressive improvement seen with rMSC-ION. 293T cell implantation provoked pronounced, localized CD68-positive microglial hyperactivation at both implantation and ischemic sites, without migration toward the choroid plexus (CP). In contrast, rMSC-ION actively migrated to the CP and drove superior neuroplasticity marker expression (Ki67, Nestin, NeuN). Conclusions: 293T cells produce transient localized microglial activation and limited brain plasticity, whereas rMSCs drive sustained neurorestoration. Synergistic co-administration of these cell types may represent a future therapeutic strategy bridging hyper-acute and chronic recovery phases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Cell Biological and Biomedical Applications)
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Review

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43 pages, 10370 KB  
Review
Carbon Dots in Nanomedicine: Advanced Fabrication, Biomedical Applications, and Future Clinical Perspectives
by Muhammad Sohail Khan, Imran Zafar, Dayeon Ham, Ki Sung Kang and Il-Ho Park
Pharmaceutics 2026, 18(5), 632; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18050632 - 21 May 2026
Viewed by 844
Abstract
Carbon dots (CDs), including carbon quantum dots (CQDs), are ultra-small carbon-based nanomaterials, typically below 10 nm, with tunable photoluminescence, high aqueous dispersibility, favorable biocompatibility, low toxicity, and abundant surface functional groups. These properties make CDs promising multifunctional platforms for nanomedicine, particularly in bioimaging, [...] Read more.
Carbon dots (CDs), including carbon quantum dots (CQDs), are ultra-small carbon-based nanomaterials, typically below 10 nm, with tunable photoluminescence, high aqueous dispersibility, favorable biocompatibility, low toxicity, and abundant surface functional groups. These properties make CDs promising multifunctional platforms for nanomedicine, particularly in bioimaging, biosensing, targeted drug/gene delivery, photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), antimicrobial treatment, and theranostic applications. This review critically examines recent advances in CD fabrication, including top-down, bottom-up, green biomass-derived, microwave-assisted, hydrothermal, and emerging hybrid strategies, with emphasis on how precursor selection, heteroatom doping, surface passivation, and polymer/ligand functionalization regulate optical performance, biological interaction, and therapeutic efficiency. The review discusses structural classification, including CQDs, graphene quantum dots (GQDs), carbon nanodots, and carbonized polymer dots (CPDs), together with major characterization approaches such as ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Particular attention is given to red/near-infrared (NIR) emission, renal clearance, drug-loading behavior, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, toxicity mechanisms, biodistribution, and long-term biosafety. This review also highlights key translational barriers, including batch-to-batch variability, limited standardization, scalable manufacturing, regulatory uncertainty, and incomplete pharmacokinetic evaluation. It considers artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) as emerging tools for reproducible CD design. CDs represent versatile and clinically promising nanoplatforms, but their translation requires standardized synthesis, rigorous safety assessment, and application-specific regulatory validation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Cell Biological and Biomedical Applications)
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