International Journal of Nanomedicine

Targeted Nanomedicine for Solid Tumors: From Biomimetic Drug and Gene Delivery to Precision Oncology

Targeted nanomedicine is reshaping the therapeutic landscape of solid tumors by integrating rational nanosystem design with tumor biology, drug delivery science, and precision oncology. Lipid, polymeric, inorganic, hybrid, and biomimetic platforms can be engineered to improve the delivery of cytotoxic drugs, molecularly targeted agents, immunomodulators, and nucleic acid therapeutics. In parallel, biomimetic strategies inspired by cell membranes, extracellular vesicles, lipoproteins, and endogenous transport pathways are expanding the toolbox for tumor homing, immune evasion, and biological barrier crossing. This Article Collection will focus on next generation nanomedicine approaches for solid tumors, with particular attention to active targeting, tumor microenvironment modulation, drug and gene delivery, theranostics, and translational strategies that connect preclinical innovation with patient centered oncology.

Despite major advances in oncology, many solid tumors remain difficult to treat because of intratumoral heterogeneity, abnormal vasculature, dense extracellular matrix, immune suppression, poor drug penetration, and dose limiting systemic toxicity. Nanomedicine offers a unique opportunity to address these barriers by controlling biodistribution, pharmacokinetics, intracellular trafficking, and payload release. However, clinical translation requires a deeper understanding of nanoparticle behavior in biological fluids, patient specific determinants of tumor accumulation, scalable manufacturing, reproducibility, safety, and regulatory requirements. The field is now moving beyond simple drug encapsulation toward mechanism driven, biomarker informed, and disease tailored delivery systems. A focused collection on targeted, biomimetic, and gene delivery nanomedicine can therefore accelerate dialogue between materials scientists, pharmacologists, oncologists, bioengineers, and translational researchers.

We welcome Original Research, Reviews, Mini Reviews, Perspectives, and Methodological articles addressing targeted nanocarriers for solid tumors; biomimetic nanoparticles and extracellular vesicle inspired systems; liposomes, lipid nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, inorganic and hybrid platforms; antibody, peptide, aptamer, and ligand mediated targeting; mRNA, siRNA, miRNA, plasmid, and genome editing delivery; stimuli responsive release; nanotheranostics and image guided delivery; nanotoxicology, immune interactions, and protein corona studies; 2D, 3D, organoid, patient derived, and animal models; pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, scale up, quality control, regulatory science, and clinical translation. Contributions linking nanodiagnostics, nanoinformatics, artificial intelligence, and patient stratification to precision oncology are also encouraged, provided they remain within the biomedical and translational scope of the journal.

Please contact Haoyang Yi (Commissioning Editor) at [email protected] with any queries regarding this Article Collection.

Guest Advisors

Dr. Alessandro De Vita

Dr. Alessandro De Vita is a Senior Researcher at IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori” and holds an Assignment of High Specialization in Nanotechnology and Sarcoma. His research focuses on translational oncology, cancer nanomedicine, drug delivery systems, sarcoma models, patient derived platforms, and precision oncology. He has contributed to the development and preclinical validation of targeted lipid based nanovesicles and biomimetic strategies for solid tumors, with a particular interest in sarcoma, triple negative breast cancer, and tumor microenvironment directed therapies. He is also active in academic teaching, peer review, and editorial initiatives in oncology and nanomedicine.

Prof. Vilma Petrikaitė

Prof. Dr. Vilma Petrikaitė is a Professor and senior researcher whose work focuses on preclinical oncology, drug targets, tumor microenvironment biology, and targeted cancer nanosystems. Her research includes the evaluation of drug activity and transport in 2D, 3D, and in vivo tumor models, with particular expertise in preclinical development and nanotherapy. She brings complementary expertise in pharmacology, drug delivery, and translational assessment of anticancer nanosystems. Her profile will strengthen the Collection by broadening its coverage of tumor microenvironment based models, preclinical validation, and targeted nanomedicine.