Exploring Dendrimer Nanoparticles for Chronic Wound Healing

Where Is Nano Today and Where Is It Headed? A Review of Nanomedicine and the Dilemma of Nanotoxicology

Worldwide nanotechnology development and application have fueled many scientific advances, but technophilic expectations and technophobic demands must be counterbalanced in parallel. Some of the burning issues today are the following: (1) Where is nano today? (2) How good are the communication and investment networks between academia/research and governments? (3) Is there any spotlight application for nanotechnology? Nanomedicine is a particular arm of nanotechnology within the healthcare landscape, focused on diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of emerging (such as coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19) and contemporary (including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer) diseases. However, it may only represent the bright side of the coin. In fact, in the recent past, the concept of nanotoxicology has emerged to address the dark shadows of nanomedicine. The nanomedicine field requires more nanotoxicological studies to identify undesirable effects and guarantee safety. Here, we provide an overall perspective on nanomedicine and nanotoxicology as central pieces of the giant puzzle of nanotechnology. First, the impact of nanotechnology on education and research is highlighted, followed by market trends and scientific output tendencies. In the next section, the nanomedicine and nanotoxicology dilemma is addressed through the interplay of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo models with the support of omics and microfluidic approaches. Lastly, a reflection on the regulatory issues and clinical trials is provided. Finally, some conclusions and future perspectives are proposed for a clearer and safer translation of nanomedicines from the bench to the bedside.

Engineering nanoparticle therapeutics for impaired wound healing in diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease characterized by increased blood glucose levels, leading to damage of the nerves blood vessels, subsequently manifesting as organ failures, wounds, or ulcerations. Wounds in patients with diabetes are further complicated because of reduced cytokine responses, infection, poor vascularization, and delayed healing processes. Surface-functionalized and bioengineered nanoparticles (NPs) have recently gained attention as emerging treatment modalities for wound healing in diabetes. Here, we review emerging therapeutic NPs to treat diabetic wounds and highlight their discrete delivery mechanisms and sites of action. We further critically assess the current challenges of these nanoengineered materials for successful clinical translation and discuss their potential for growth in the clinical marketplace.