International Journal of Nanomedicine

Cell Penetrating Peptides as Precision Targeting Agents in Nanomedicine

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), also referred to as protein transduction domains (PTDs), are typically short peptides (<30 amino acids) that have been widely studied. Since the discovery of the first CPP over 30 years ago, new mechanisms and applications for CPPs have been investigated in preclinical and clinical studies.

The importance of CPPs in nanomedicine cannot be overstated. They offer a unique solution to the challenge of cellular uptake, a critical barrier in the efficacy of many therapeutic agents. By enhancing the delivery of drugs, imaging agents, and therapeutic peptides, CPPs have the potential to improve treatment outcomes for many diseases, including cancer, inflammation, diabetes etc.

This Article Collection seeks to compile the most recent and innovative research on CPPs, focusing on their application as targeted agents in nanomedicine. We aim to provide a comprehensive platform for scholars to share their findings, discuss challenges, and explore future directions in the field. The collection will emphasize the practical applications and biological validation of CPPs, steering clear of purely computational analyses without experimental corroboration.

We invite submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following subtopics:

1. Drug Delivery: Studies on the use of CPPs to enhance the cellular uptake of chemotherapeutic agents, gene therapies, and other drugs for treating diseases such as cancer, inflammation, and diabetes.
2. Diagnostic Applications: Research on the employment of CPPs to deliver imaging contrast agents for improved visualization of target tissues in diagnostic procedures.
3. Therapeutic Peptides and Proteins: Exploration of CPPs as vehicles for therapeutic peptides and proteins, focusing on their ability to facilitate intracellular delivery and enhance therapeutic effects.
4. Mechanisms of Action: Investigations into the molecular mechanisms by which CPPs facilitate cell penetration and cargo delivery, including endocytosis, direct translocation, and other pathways.
5. Clinical Translation: Reports on the progress of CPP-based therapies in clinical trials, including challenges and successes in translating preclinical findings to patient care.

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo full peer-review; Guest Advisors will not be handling submitted articles. Please review the journal’s aims and scope and author submission instructions prior to submission.

Please submit your manuscript through the Dovepress website. During submission, enter the promo code IVAGX to indicate that your article should be considered for this Collection. Please note that normal Article Processing Charges will apply.

Please contact Haoyang Yi (Commissioning Editor) at haoyang.yi@taylorandfrancis.com with any queries regarding this Article Collection.

Guest advisors

Dr. Tohru Yamada, University of Illinois at Chicago

tohru@uic.edu

Dr. Tohru Yamada is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology at the University of Illinois, College of Medicine. He was a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the school's Department of Microbiology & Immunology. He received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in Biotechnology from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. His research interests and expertise are the discovery and development of new class of peptide-based anticancer agents and carriers for imaging agent targeting cancers on the basis of molecular biology, protein/peptide chemistry, cell biology and cancer biology. He holds ~25 issued and pending US and international patents, and has authored a number of original research/review/news. Dr. Yamada is currently a member of the Editorial Board of several peer-reviewed scientific journals such as International Journal of Nanomedicine.

Dr. Duy Binh Tran, University of Illinois at Chicago

tdbinh22@uic.edu

Dr. Duy Binh Tran is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Previously, he held postdoctoral positions in the College of Medicine at Inha University, South Korea, and at the Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan. He earned his B.S. and M.S. in Biotechnology from Can Tho University, Vietnam, and his Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry from the Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan. Dr. Tran's research focuses on developing potential treatments for breast and ovarian cancers. His work involves using peptide-based carrier agents, bacteria, and recombinant proteins. He has authored several original research articles and review papers.