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Nanomaterials
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Smart Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications
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Smart Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Biology and Medicines".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 January 2022) | Viewed by 34032

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Magdalena Aflori

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physics of Polymers and Polymeric Materials, Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41 A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi, Romania
Interests: surface modification of polymers; DC and RF plasma; biomaterials; polymer composites; chemical and morphological characterization of polymers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear colleague,

Nanomaterials become “smart” when they are “responsive” to a multitude of stimuli from internal biochemical cues to environmental factors (stress, temperature, humidity, pH, ionic strength, and specific chemical analytes) or to externally applied stimuli derived from magnetic or electric fields. Those materials often exhibit dynamic and reversible changes in their critical physicochemical proprieties (i.e., a change in shape, volume, solubility, or molecular conformation, etc.), which can be repeated many times.

Novel biomaterials with enhanced performance and unique properties at the nanoscale are required in fields such as tissue engineering, immunoengineering, cancer research, immunomodulation, drug delivery systems, and antimicrobial materials. The smartness of a nanomaterial is more important if the system is highly biocompatible and poorly toxic, depending on the physico-chemical properties of the nanosystem (composition, shape, size, specific surface area, surface charge, etc.). Nowadays, the field of smart nanomaterials is dominated by polymers followed by small molecular ensembles (i.e., low molecular weight gelators, lipids, etc.), plasmonic/metallic or inorganic nanoparticles, and other building components of biological origin (i.e., RNA/DNA strands, proteins, peptides, etc.).

The development of smart nanomaterials for target applications in the biomedical field (spanning from drug delivery systems for precision medicine, targeted therapeutics, and nanomedicine to sensors and actuators and ensembles for cell therapies and tissue engineering) requires the collaboration of chemists, biologists, physicists, pharmacologists, and physicians, who, in most cases, have different objectives. Therefore, we invite all those working in these fields to contribute (full papers, communications, and reviews) to this Special Issue entitled “Smart Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications”. This Special Issue represents a good opportunity for researchers to put together different aspects of their work, from materials science to biomolecular design, engineering, and medical physics.

Dr. Magdalena Aflori
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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

  • biomimetic nanomaterials
  • nanocarriers
  • nanoporous materials
  • nanocomposite materials
  • hydrogels
  • biocompatibility
  • surface modifications
  • Metallic nanoparticles
  • biopolymers
  • stimuli responsive

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 2061 KiB  
Article
Electrospun Polyvinyl Alcohol Loaded with Phytotherapeutic Agents for Wound Healing Applications
by Diana Serbezeanu, Alexandra Bargan, Mihaela Homocianu, Magdalena Aflori, Cristina Mihaela Rîmbu, Alexandru Alin Enache and Tăchiță Vlad-Bubulac
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(12), 3336; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11123336 - 8 Dec 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3327
Abstract
In this paper, hydroalcoholic solutions of Thymus vulgaris, Salvia officinalis folium, and Hyperici herba were used in combination with poly (vinyl alcohol) with the aim of developing novel poly (vinyl alcohol)-based nanofiber mats loaded with phytotherapeutic agents via the electrospinning technique. [...] Read more.
In this paper, hydroalcoholic solutions of Thymus vulgaris, Salvia officinalis folium, and Hyperici herba were used in combination with poly (vinyl alcohol) with the aim of developing novel poly (vinyl alcohol)-based nanofiber mats loaded with phytotherapeutic agents via the electrospinning technique. The chemical structure and morphology of the polymeric nanofibers were investigated using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The addition of Thymus vulgaris, Salvia officinalis folium, and Hyperici herba extracts to the pure polyvinyl alcohol fibers led to changes in the morphology of the fibers and a reduction in the fibers’ diameter, from 0.1798 µm in the case of pure polyvinyl alcohol to 0.1672, 0.1425, and 0.1369 µm in the case of polyvinyl alcohol loaded with Thymus vulgaris, Salvia officinalis folium, and Hyperici herba, respectively. The adapted Folin–Ciocalteu (FC) method, which was used to determine the total phenolic contents, revealed that the samples of PVA–Hyperici herba and PVA–Thymus vulgaris had the highest phenol contents, at 13.25 μgGAE/mL and 12.66 μgGAE/mL, respectively. Dynamic water vapor measurements were used in order to investigate the moisture sorption and desorption behavior of the developed electrospun materials. The antimicrobial behavior of these products was also evaluated. Disk diffusion assay studies with Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were conducted on the developed nanofibers in order to quantify their phytotherapeutic potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications)
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13 pages, 3849 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Biomimetic Melanin-Like Multifunctional Nanoparticles for pH Responsive Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Photothermal Therapy
by Jing Qu, Devin Guillory, Pohlee Cheah, Bin Tian, Jie Zheng, Yongjian Liu, Courtney Cates, Amol V. Janorkar and Yongfeng Zhao
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(8), 2107; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11082107 - 19 Aug 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2516
Abstract
The design and development of multifunctional nanoparticles have attracted great interest in biomedical research. This study aims to prepare pH-responsive melanin-like nanoparticles for T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and photothermal therapy. The new multifunctional nanoparticles (amino-Fe-PDANPs) are synthesized by copolymerization of [...] Read more.
The design and development of multifunctional nanoparticles have attracted great interest in biomedical research. This study aims to prepare pH-responsive melanin-like nanoparticles for T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and photothermal therapy. The new multifunctional nanoparticles (amino-Fe-PDANPs) are synthesized by copolymerization of dopamine and its derivative amino-N-[2-(diethylamino) ethyl]-3,4-dihydroxy-benzenepropanamide (N-Dopa) at room temperature. The size of nanoparticles can be controlled by NaOH concentration. The incorporation of N-Dopa is characterized by NMR and FT-IR. From transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the nanoparticles exhibit excellent dispersion stability in water and are spherical in shape. The MRI measurement has demonstrated that amino-Fe-PDANPs have a significant signal enhancement in responding to the acidic solution. Confirmed by the photothermal study, the nanoparticles exhibit a high photothermal conversion efficiency. The melanin-like multifunctional nanoparticles integrate both diagnosis and therapeutic functionalities, indicating the potential for theranostic application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications)
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17 pages, 2252 KiB  
Article
Flexible and Conductive Bioelectrodes Based on Chitosan-Carbon Black Membranes: Towards the Development of Wearable Bioelectrodes
by Mireia Buaki-Sogó, Laura García-Carmona, Mayte Gil-Agustí, Marta García-Pellicer and Alfredo Quijano-López
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(8), 2052; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11082052 - 12 Aug 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3219
Abstract
Wearable sensors for non-invasive monitoring constitute a growing technology in many industrial fields, such as clinical or sport monitoring. However, one of the main challenges in wearable sensing is the development of bioelectrodes via the use of flexible and stretchable materials capable of [...] Read more.
Wearable sensors for non-invasive monitoring constitute a growing technology in many industrial fields, such as clinical or sport monitoring. However, one of the main challenges in wearable sensing is the development of bioelectrodes via the use of flexible and stretchable materials capable of maintaining conductive and biocompatible properties simultaneously. In this study, chitosan-carbon black (CH-CB) membranes have been synthesized using a straightforward and versatile strategy and characterized in terms of their composition and their electrical and mechanical properties. In this sense, CH-CB membranes showed good conductivity and mechanical resistance thanks to the presence of carbon black, which decreases the insulating behavior of chitosan, while flexibility and biocompatibility are maintained due to the dual composition of the membrane. Thus, flexible and biocompatible conductive bioelectrodes have been developed by the combined use of CH and CB without the use of toxic reagents, extra energy input, or long reaction times. The membranes were modified using the enzymes Glucose Oxidase and Laccase in order to develop flexible and biocompatible bioelectrodes for enzymatic glucose biofuel cells (BFCs) and glucose detection. A BFC assembled using the flexible bioelectrodes developed was able to deliver 15 µW cm−2, using just 1 mM glucose as biofuel, and up to 21.3 µW·cm−2 with higher glucose concentration. Additionally, the suitability of the CH-CB membranes to be used as a glucose sensor in a linear range from 100 to 600 µM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 76 µM has been proven. Such demonstrations for energy harvesting and sensing capabilities of the developed membrane pave the way for their use in wearable sensing and energy harvesting technologies in the clinical field due to their good mechanical, electrical, and biocompatible properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications)
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20 pages, 5842 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Evaluation of Nanofibrous Hydroxypropyl Cellulose and β-Cyclodextrin Polyurethane Composite Mats
by Luiza Madalina Gradinaru, Mihaela Barbalata-Mandru, Mioara Drobota, Magdalena Aflori, Maria Spiridon, Gratiela Gradisteanu Pircalabioru, Coralia Bleotu, Maria Butnaru and Stelian Vlad
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(4), 754; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10040754 - 15 Apr 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3300
Abstract
A series of nanofibrous composite mats based on polyurethane urea siloxane (PUUS), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was prepared using electrospinning technique. PUUS was synthesized by two steps solution polymerization procedure from polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG), dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA), 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate [...] Read more.
A series of nanofibrous composite mats based on polyurethane urea siloxane (PUUS), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was prepared using electrospinning technique. PUUS was synthesized by two steps solution polymerization procedure from polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG), dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA), 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and 1,3-bis-(3-aminopropyl) tetramethyldisiloxane (BATD) as chain extender. Then, the composites were prepared by blending PUUS with HPC or βCD in a ratio of 9:1 (w/w), in 15% dimethylformamide (DMF). The PUUS and PUUS based composite solutions were used for preparation of nanofibrous mats. In order to identify the potential applications, different techniques were used to evaluate the chemical structure (Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy—FTIR-ATR), morphological structure (Scanning electron microscopy—SEM and Atomic force microscopy—AFM), surface properties (contact angle, dynamic vapors sorption—DVS), mechanical characteristics (tensile tests), thermal (differential scanning calorimetry—DSC) and some preliminary tests for biocompatibility and microbial adhesion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications)
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Review

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61 pages, 93121 KiB  
Review
Light-Triggered Polymersome-Based Anticancer Therapeutics Delivery
by Elisa Hernández Becerra, Jennifer Quinchia, Cristina Castro and Jahir Orozco
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(5), 836; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12050836 - 2 Mar 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5720
Abstract
Polymersomes are biomimetic cell membrane-like model structures that are self-assembled stepwise from amphiphilic copolymers. These polymeric (nano)carriers have gained the scientific community’s attention due to their biocompatibility, versatility, and higher stability than liposomes. Their tunable properties, such as composition, size, shape, and surface [...] Read more.
Polymersomes are biomimetic cell membrane-like model structures that are self-assembled stepwise from amphiphilic copolymers. These polymeric (nano)carriers have gained the scientific community’s attention due to their biocompatibility, versatility, and higher stability than liposomes. Their tunable properties, such as composition, size, shape, and surface functional groups, extend encapsulation possibilities to either hydrophilic or hydrophobic cargoes (or both) and their site-specific delivery. Besides, polymersomes can disassemble in response to different stimuli, including light, for controlling the “on-demand” release of cargo that may also respond to light as photosensitizers and plasmonic nanostructures. Thus, polymersomes can be spatiotemporally stimulated by light of a wide wavelength range, whose exogenous response may activate light-stimulable moieties, enhance the drug efficacy, decrease side effects, and, thus, be broadly employed in photoinduced therapy. This review describes current light-responsive polymersomes evaluated for anticancer therapy. It includes light-activable moieties’ features and polymersomes’ composition and release behavior, focusing on recent advances and applications in cancer therapy, current trends, and photosensitive polymersomes’ perspectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications)
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33 pages, 5305 KiB  
Review
Smart Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications—A Review
by Magdalena Aflori
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(2), 396; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11020396 - 4 Feb 2021
Cited by 85 | Viewed by 14597
Abstract
Recent advances in nanotechnology have forced the obtaining of new materials with multiple functionalities. Due to their reduced dimensions, nanomaterials exhibit outstanding physio-chemical functionalities: increased absorption and reactivity, higher surface area, molar extinction coefficients, tunable plasmonic properties, quantum effects, and magnetic and photo [...] Read more.
Recent advances in nanotechnology have forced the obtaining of new materials with multiple functionalities. Due to their reduced dimensions, nanomaterials exhibit outstanding physio-chemical functionalities: increased absorption and reactivity, higher surface area, molar extinction coefficients, tunable plasmonic properties, quantum effects, and magnetic and photo properties. However, in the biomedical field, it is still difficult to use tools made of nanomaterials for better therapeutics due to their limitations (including non-biocompatible, poor photostabilities, low targeting capacity, rapid renal clearance, side effects on other organs, insufficient cellular uptake, and small blood retention), so other types with controlled abilities must be developed, called “smart” nanomaterials. In this context, the modern scientific community developed a kind of nanomaterial which undergoes large reversible changes in its physical, chemical, or biological properties as a consequence of small environmental variations. This systematic mini-review is intended to provide an overview of the newest research on nanosized materials responding to various stimuli, including their up-to-date application in the biomedical field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications)
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