Advanced Nanocarriers for Targeted Drug and Gene Delivery

Dear Colleague,

Advanced nanocarriers represent a cutting-edge method for conducting precision medicine, being capable of targeting and delivering drugs and genetic materials to specific cells or tissues while minimizing off-target effects.  These nanosystems, based on polymeric, lipid or inorganic nanoparticles, include liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles and micelles, dendritic macromolecules, DNA nanostructures and exosomes. Nanocarriers are designed to enhance bioavailability, improve pharmacokinetics and overcome biological barriers, such as the blood–brain barrier or the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, advanced nanocarriers hold great promise for revolutionizing the processes of drug and gene delivery, offering the potential to improve the treatment of a wide range of diseases, including cancer; infectious, neurodegenerative and genetic diseases; and genetic disorders, with the possibility of being used to create personalized treatment strategies. However, challenges in scalability, biocompatibility and long-term safety still exist, driving continuous research on the design and transformation of nanomaterials. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Nanocarrier Design and Optimization: Tailoring nanocarrier properties (size, shape, surface chemistry) and incorporating targeting ligands (e.g., antibodies, peptides, aptamers) to enhance cellular uptake and specificity.
• Stimuli-Responsive Systems: Facilitating pH-, redox-, or enzyme-triggered release for spatiotemporal control.
• Active and Passive Targeting: Ligand-functionalized carriers for receptor-mediated uptake (e.g., in cancer or inflamed tissues).
• Gene Delivery: Non-viral vectors (e.g., cationic polymers, lipid nanoparticles) for CRISPR, siRNA or mRNA delivery.
• Barrier Penetration: Strategies to cross the blood–brain barrier or tumor stroma.
• Applications of Nanocarriers: Spanning oncology, neurology and regenerative medicine, with an emerging focus on personalized nanomedicine and combination therapies.
• Multifunctional Nanocarriers: Integration of multiple functionalities into nanocarriers to enhance their theranostic capabilities (diagnosis and therapy).
• Translational Challenges: Scalability, biocompatibility and regulatory hurdles for their clinical adoption.

Dr. Rita Cortesi
Dr. Maddalena Sguizzato
Dr. Francesca Ferrara
Topic Editors