Progressing nanotechnology to improve targeted cancer treatment: overcoming hurdles in its clinical implementation

The use of nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize the detection and treatment of cancer. Developments in protein engineering and materials science have led to the emergence of new nanoscale targeting techniques, which offer renewed hope for cancer patients. While several nanocarriers for medicinal purposes have been approved for human trials, only a few have been authorized for clinical use in targeting cancer cells. In this review, we analyze some of the authorized formulations and discuss the challenges of translating findings from the lab to the clinic. This study highlights the various nanocarriers and compounds that can be used for selective tumor targeting and the inherent difficulties in cancer therapy. Nanotechnology provides a promising platform for improving cancer detection and treatment in the future, but further research is needed to overcome the current limitations in clinical translation.

Nanogel engineering for new nanobiomaterials: from chaperoning engineering to biomedical applications

Nanosize hydrogels (nanogels) are polymer nanoparticles with three-dimensional networks, formed by chemical and/or physical cross-linking of polymer chains. Recently, various nanogels have been designed, with a particular focus on biomedical applications. In this review, we describe recent progress in the synthesis of nanogels and nanogel-integrated hydrogels (nanogel cross-linked gels) for drug-delivery systems (DDS), regenerative medicine, and bioimaging. We also discuss chaperone-like functions of physical cross-linking nanogel (chaperoning engineering) and organic-inorganic hybrid nanogels.