Advances in Characterization Methods for Drug Delivery Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Advances in the design of novel delivery strategies have increased opportunities for the development of innovative therapies for acute and chronic diseases. The advent of nanotechnology in the field of pharmaceutics and the development of “smart” biomaterials have overcome drawbacks such as poor biopharmaceutical profile, especially in the case of macromolecules, while ensuring more efficient and targeted delivery of actives molecules. Innovative delivery approaches, i.e., based on colloidal systems, hydrogels, bioconjugates, macromolecular complexes, stimuli-responsive nanocarriers, etc., can be used to address the issues related to drug solubility, chemical-physical and biological instability of the active molecule, disadvantageous pharmacokinetics, and biodistribution. Finally, different platforms have been used to prolong drug release, thus, improving patient compliance.

Undoubtedly, the current landscape that drives research in drug delivery is interdisciplinary, demanding the deepest knowledge of technological, physicochemical, and biological aspects. The fundamental understanding of the properties and functionality of delivery systems requires in-depth, high-resolution characterization, specifically tailored to the system class and its application. The complexity of such formulations often calls for an integrated approach, where solely the combined use of different techniques can grant a full picture. Moreover, while the physicochemical and structural characterization is the first step for rationale carrier design and investigation, the analytical study of the composition, interaction, and release mechanisms, followed by toxicity and biocompatibility assessment, also represent key matters.

This Special Issue will explore current significant technical and methodological advancements in the characterization of innovative drug delivery systems, with a focus on the applications and best-suited approaches for each specific case. The reported classes of methods will include, but will not be limited to the following:

Size characterization (dynamic light-scattering), high-resolution structural techniques (X-ray and neutron scattering, electron, confocal, and fluorescence microscopy); thermodynamic methods (calorimetry, rheology); computational methods; magnetic resonances and other spectroscopic methods; analytical techniques (HPLC, Mass Spectrometry); surface characterization (porosity, Zeta Potential), cytotoxicity (cell culture lines, primary cell culture), hemocompatibility and biocompatibility (in vitro and in vivo studies).

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe De Rosa
Prof. Dr. Sandra Ristori
Dr. Virginia Campani
Ms. Ilaria Clemente
Guest Editors

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