The intrinsic limits of conventional cancer therapies prompted the development and application of various nanotechnologies for more effective and safer cancer treatment, herein referred to as cancer nanomedicine. Considerable technological success has been achieved in this field, but the main obstacles to nanomedicine becoming a new paradigm in cancer therapy stem from the complexities and heterogeneity of tumour biology, an incomplete understanding of nano-bio interactions and the challenges regarding chemistry, manufacturing and controls required for clinical translation and commercialization. This Review highlights the progress, challenges and opportunities in cancer nanomedicine and discusses novel engineering approaches that capitalize on our growing understanding of tumour biology and nano-bio interactions to develop more effective nanotherapeutics for cancer patients.

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Cancer nanomedicine: progress, challenges and opportunities.

Since the discovery of mechanically exfoliated graphene in 2004, research on ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials has grown exponentially in the fields of condensed matter physics, material science, chemistry, and nanotechnology. Highlighting their compelling physical, chemical, electronic, and optical properties, as well as their various potential applications, in this Review, we summarize the state-of-art progress on the ultrathin 2D nanomaterials with a particular emphasis on their recent advances. First, we introduce the unique advances on ultrathin 2D nanomaterials, followed by the description of their composition and crystal structures. The assortments of their synthetic methods are then summarized, including insights on their advantages and limitations, alongside some recommendations on suitable characterization techniques. We also discuss in detail the utilization of these ultrathin 2D nanomaterials for wide ranges of potential applications among the electronics/optoelectronics, electrocat...

Recent Advances in Ultrathin Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials

Polydopamine and Its Derivative Materials: Synthesis and Promising Applications in Energy, Environmental, and Biomedical Fields

Graphene, a two-dimensional, single-layer sheet of sp(2) hybridized carbon atoms, has attracted tremendous attention and research interest, owing to its exceptional physical properties, such as high electronic conductivity, good thermal stability, and excellent mechanical strength. Other forms of graphene-related materials, including graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, and exfoliated graphite, have been reliably produced in large scale. The promising properties together with the ease of processibility and functionalization make graphene-based materials ideal candidates for incorporation into a variety of functional materials. Importantly, graphene and its derivatives have been explored in a wide range of applications, such as electronic and photonic devices, clean energy, and sensors. In this review, after a general introduction to graphene and its derivatives, the synthesis, characterization, properties, and applications of graphene-based materials are discussed.

Graphene-Based Materials: Synthesis, Characterization, Properties, and Applications

Applications in Theranostics Guanying Chen,*,†,‡ Hailong Qiu,†,‡ Paras N. Prasad,*,‡,§ and Xiaoyuan Chen* †School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China ‡Department of Chemistry and the Institute for Lasers, Photonics, and Biophotonics, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260, United States Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Korea Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Nanomedicine, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-2281, United States

Upconversion Nanoparticles: Design, Nanochemistry, and Applications in Theranostics

A new generation of photothermal therapeutic agents based on biopolymer dopamine-melanin colloidal nanospheres is described. Benefitting from their naturally wide distribution in humans, dopamine-melanin colloidal nanospheres exhibit robust biocompatibility and biodegradability, and provide up to 40% photothermal conversion efficiency. After administration, they can efficiently damage tumors at low power density and short irradiation time without damaging healthy tissues.

Dopamine‐Melanin Colloidal Nanospheres: An Efficient Near‐Infrared Photothermal Therapeutic Agent for In Vivo Cancer Therapy

A simple, yet versatile strategy to prepare size-controlled and monodisperse carbon sub-micrometer spheres is developed based on the biomolecule dopamine. Unlike traditional carbon materials, the resulting carbon sub-micrometer spheres contain much less sp3 carbon with high-level electroactive nitrogen. Moreover, metal-carbon hybrid sub-micrometer spheres can be easily obtained, and show highly promising catalytic properties in the oxygen-reduction reaction.

Sp2 C-dominant N-doped carbon sub-micrometer spheres with a tunable size: a versatile platform for highly efficient oxygen-reduction catalysts.

The color change induced by triple hydrogen-bonding recognition between melamine and a cyanuric acid derivative grafted on the surface of gold nanoparticles can be used for reliable detection of melamine. Since such a color change can be readily seen by the naked eye, the method enables on-site and real-time detection of melamine in raw milk and infant formula even at a concentration as low as 2.5 ppb without the aid of any advanced instruments.

Hydrogen-Bonding Recognition-Induced Color Change of Gold Nanoparticles for Visual Detection of Melamine in Raw Milk and Infant Formula

A novel, gold-nanocluster-based fluorescent sensor for cyanide in aqueous solution, which is based on the cyanide etching-induced fluorescence quenching of gold nanoclusters, is reported. In addition to offering high selectivity due to the unique Elsner reaction between cyanide and the gold atoms of gold nanoclusters, this facile; environmentally friendly and cost-effective method provides high sensitivity&-With-zthis'sensor, the lowest concentration to quantify cyanide ions ccould be down to 200 x 10(-9) M, which. is approximately 14 times lower tharr-the..moxotim, level (2.7 x 10(-6) M) of cyanide in drinking water permitted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Furthermore, several real water samples spiked with cyanide, including local groundwater, tap water, pond water, and lake water, are analyzed using the sensing system, and experimental results show that this fluorescent sensor exhibits excellent recoveries (over 93%). This highly sensitive and selective detection of cyanide in food, soil, water, and biological samples.

Yanlan Liu

Papers

Polydopamine and Its Derivative Materials: Synthesis and Promising Applications in Energy, Environmental, and Biomedical Fields

Dopamine‐Melanin Colloidal Nanospheres: An Efficient Near‐Infrared Photothermal Therapeutic Agent for In Vivo Cancer Therapy

Sp2 C-dominant N-doped carbon sub-micrometer spheres with a tunable size: a versatile platform for highly efficient oxygen-reduction catalysts.

Hydrogen-Bonding Recognition-Induced Color Change of Gold Nanoparticles for Visual Detection of Melamine in Raw Milk and Infant Formula

Gold-Nanocluster-Based Fluorescent Sensors for Highly Sensitive and Selective Detection of Cyanide in Water