Severe systemic toxicity and poor targeting efficiency remain major limitations of traditional chemotherapy, emphasising the need for smarter drug delivery systems. Magnetic 2D transition-metal-based nanomaterials offer a promising approach, as they can be designed to combine high drug loading, precise targeting, and controlled release. The key material classes-transition metal dichalcogenides, transition metal carbides/nitrides, transition metal oxides, and metal-organic frameworks-share important physicochemical properties. These include high surface-to-volume ratios, tuneable functionalities, and efficient intracellular uptake. Incorporating magnetic nanoparticles into these 2D structures broadens their potential beyond drug delivery, through enabling multimodal therapeutic strategies such as hyperthermia induction, real-time imaging, and photothermal or photodynamic therapy. This review outlines the potential of magnetic 2D transition-metal-based nanomaterials for biomedical applications by evaluating their therapeutic performance and biological response. In parallel, it offers a critical analysis of how differences in physicochemical properties influence their potential for specific cancer treatment applications, highlighting the most promising uses of each in bionanomedicine.

• Keywords
• hyperthermia, magnetic nanoparticles, magnetic resonance imaging, metal–organic frameworks, photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, targeted drug delivery, transition metal carbides/nitrides, transition metal dichalcogenides, transition metal oxides,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

Overexpression of proteins/antigens and other gene-related sequences in the bodies could lead to significant mutations and refractory diseases. Detection and identification of assorted trace concentrations of such proteins/antigens and/or gene-related sequences remain challenging, affecting different pathogens and making viruses stronger. Correspondingly, coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) mutations/alterations and spread could lead to overexpression of ssDNA and the related antigens in the population and brisk activity in gene-editing technologies in the treatment/detection may lead to the presence of pCRISPR in the blood. Therefore, the detection and evaluation of their trace concentrations are of critical importance. CaZnO-based nanoghosts (NGs) were synthesized with the assistance of a high-gravity technique at a 1,800 MHz field, capitalizing on the use of Rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract as the templating agent. A complete chemical, physical and biological investigation revealed that the synthesized NGs presented similar morphological features to the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), resulting in excellent biocompatibility, interaction with ssDNA- and/or pCRISPR-surface, through various chemical and physical mechanisms. This comprise the unprecedented synthesis of a fully inorganic nanostructure with behavior that is similar to MSCs. Furthermore, the endowed exceptional ability of inorganic NGs for detective sensing/folding of ssDNA and pCRISPR and recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen (RSCSA), along with in-situ hydrogen peroxide detection on the HEK-293 and HeLa cell lines, was discerned. On average, they displayed a high drug loading capacity of 55%, and the acceptable internalizations inside the HT-29 cell lines affirmed the anticipated MSCs-like behavior of these inorganic-NGs.

• Keywords
• Gene delivery, In-situ biosensor, Nanoghosts, SARS-CoV-2, pCRISPR, ssDNA,
• MeSH
• Doxorubicin * administration & dosage   MeSH
• Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus * analysis   genetics   MeSH
• HEK293 Cells MeSH
• HeLa Cells MeSH
• DNA, Single-Stranded * analysis   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Nanoparticle Drug Delivery System * MeSH
• Zinc Oxide MeSH
• SARS-CoV-2 * MeSH
• Calcium MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Doxorubicin * MeSH
• Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus * MeSH
• DNA, Single-Stranded * MeSH
• Nanoparticle Drug Delivery System * MeSH
• Zinc Oxide MeSH
• spike protein, SARS-CoV-2 MeSH Browser
• Calcium MeSH

MXenes with unique mechanical, optical, electronic, and thermal properties along with a specific large surface area for surface functionalization/modification, high electrical conductivity, magnetic properties, biocompatibility, and low toxicity have been explored as attractive candidates for the targeted delivery of drugs in cancer therapy. These two-dimensional materials have garnered much attention in the field of cancer therapy since they have shown suitable photothermal effects, biocompatibility, and luminescence properties. However, outstanding challenging issues regarding their pharmacokinetics, biosafety, targeting properties, optimized functionalization, synthesis/reaction conditions, and clinical translational studies still need to be addressed. Herein, recent advances and upcoming challenges in the design of advanced targeted drug delivery micro- and nanosystems in cancer therapy using MXenes have been discussed to motivate researchers to further investigate this field of science.

• Keywords
• MXene-based systems, cancer nanotherapy, nanocomposites, photothermal therapy, targeted drug delivery,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

The application of quantum dots (QDs) for detecting and treating various types of coronaviruses is very promising, as their low toxicity and high surface performance make them superior among other nanomaterials; in conjugation with fluorescent probes they are promising semiconductor nanomaterials for the detection of various cellular processes and viral infections. In view of the successful results for inhibiting SARS-CoV-2, functional QDs could serve eminent role in the growth of safe nanotherapy for the cure of viral infections in the near future; their large surface areas help bind numerous molecules post-synthetically. Functionalized QDs with high functionality, targeted selectivity, stability and less cytotoxicity can be employed for highly sensitive co-delivery and imaging/diagnosis. Besides, due to the importance of safety and toxicity issues, QDs prepared from plant sources (e.g. curcumin) are much more attractive, as they provide good biocompatibility and low toxicity. In this review, the recent developments pertaining to the diagnostic and inhibitory potentials of QDs against SARS-CoV-2 are deliberated including important challenges and future outlooks. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

• Keywords
• biochemical engineering, bioprocesses, disinfection, removal,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been widely used as porous nanomaterials for different applications ranging from industrial to biomedicals. An unpredictable one-pot method is introduced to synthesize NH2-MIL-53 assisted by high-gravity in a greener media for the first time. Then, porphyrins were deployed to adorn the surface of MOF to increase the sensitivity of the prepared nanocomposite to the genetic materials and in-situ cellular protein structures. The hydrogen bond formation between genetic domains and the porphyrin' nitrogen as well as the surface hydroxyl groups is equally probable and could be considered a milestone in chemical physics and physical chemistry for biomedical applications. In this context, the role of incorporating different forms of porphyrins, their relationship with the final surface morphology, and their drug/gene loading efficiency were investigated to provide a predictable pattern in regard to the previous works. The conceptual phenomenon was optimized to increase the interactions between the biomolecules and the substrate by reaching the limit of detection to 10 pM for the Anti-cas9 protein, 20 pM for the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), below 10 pM for the single guide RNA (sgRNA) and also around 10 nM for recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen. Also, the MTT assay showed acceptable relative cell viability of more than 85% in most cases, even by increasing the dose of the prepared nanostructures.

• Keywords
• COVID-19, CRISPR, MOF, biomedicine, biosensor, gene delivery,
• MeSH
• Hep G2 Cells MeSH
• PC12 Cells MeSH
• COVID-19 diagnosis   MeSH
• CRISPR-Cas Systems MeSH
• Nitrogen chemistry   MeSH
• HEK293 Cells MeSH
• HeLa Cells MeSH
• DNA, Single-Stranded MeSH
• Rats MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Limit of Detection MeSH
• Nanocomposites MeSH
• Nanostructures MeSH
• Metal-Organic Frameworks chemistry   MeSH
• Porosity MeSH
• Porphyrins chemistry   MeSH
• Surface Properties MeSH
• RNA, Viral metabolism   MeSH
• SARS-CoV-2 MeSH
• Sensitivity and Specificity MeSH
• COVID-19 Testing MeSH
• RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems MeSH
• Hydrogen Bonding MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Rats MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Nitrogen MeSH
• DNA, Single-Stranded MeSH
• Metal-Organic Frameworks MeSH
• Porphyrins MeSH
• RNA, Viral MeSH
• RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems MeSH