Brain disorders are one of the most challenging targets for novel therapies due to their location and the presence of numerous barriers that limit the efficacy of treatments. Nanotechnologies, such as nanoparticles and nanomedicines, are promising tools to overcome the limitations of traditional treatments thanks to their ability to protect sensitive molecules from degradation and reduce off-target drug toxicity in vivo by using targeting ligands to cross the blood brain barrier, selectively accumulate at the target site, and release their payload in the brain parenchyma. In fact, the use of complex molecules such as DNA, RNA, siRNA, mRNA, enzymes, or proteins has shown promising results in hard-to-treat pathologies such as neurodegenerative disorders and brain cancer.
After the successful formulation of the Covid-19 vaccine, in which genetic material was successfully delivered via a lipid nanoparticle, nanotechnologies and the advantages they offer have attracted a great deal of interest. The Pfizer vaccine boosted research about nanoparticle-based gene therapy and enzyme replacement therapy with promising results in all medical applications including brain disorders.
This Article Collection aims to collect the most recent innovations in the field of nanoparticle-based gene and enzyme replacement therapy for brain diseases. It is our hope that this Collection will help researchers stay up-to-date with developments in the field. We also hope that it will inspire future efforts to reach a challenging target organ, combat numerous hard-to-treat diseases, and implement novel production methods in the field of nanomedicine.
We welcome articles pertaining to the optimization of nanoparticles for the delivery of sensitive molecules such as proteins, enzymes, or genetic material to the brain. Both Original Research articles and Reviews will be considered. Particular attention will be given to novel methods of production, such as microfluidic technology, electrospinning, or 3D-printing, which accelerate the translation from laboratory practice to an industrial setting.
Topics of interest include:
- Brain targeted polymeric, lipidic, polymer-lipid hybrid, self-assembled nanoparticles
- Novel Design of Nanoparticles to deliver proteins, enzymes, or genetic material
- Nanoparticle-based gene therapy and protein/enzyme replacement therapy
- Novel techniques of nanoparticle production (e.g. microfluidic technology, electrospinning, 3D printing)
- Advanced in vitro/in vivo models for brain diseases
Submission Instructions:
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 ECJOF to indicate that your article should be considered for this Collection.
The manuscript submission deadline is 31 December 2023.
If you have any questions about this Article Collection, please contact Krista Thom at [email protected].
Guest Advisors:
Giovanni Tosi earned his Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences in 2005 from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. His research focuses on the development of lipid and polymeric systems for the delivery and targeting of drugs to the central nervous system using nanoparticles. He is the author or co-author of over 100 articles in scholarly journals, as well as 6 book chapters.
Jason T. Duskey received his Ph.D. in brain cancer-targeted gene therapy in 2013 from the University of Iowa. He then moved to Basel, Switzerland, where he completed a postdoc in polymer-based nanoparticles for the delivery of biological actives. In 2016, he arrived at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia where he continues to study brain-targeted nanomedicines. He is the recipient of numerous awards and independent research grants in 5 languages and more than 8 countries. In 2021, he successfully obtained Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale in Italy, and is now a professor at the University of Modena, Italy.
Ilaria Ottonelli earned her Ph.D. in nanomedicine at the University of Modena, Italy. Her thesis work was on the design, optimization, application, and scale-up of nanomedicines. Her current research focuses on the design of targeted hybrid nanomedicines to deliver small molecules and genetic material. This has applications for conditions such as Huntington’s disease, retinal degeneration, and hemochromatosis. Her most recent research has focused on the scalability of nanomedicines with microfluidic techniques, and the issues linked to the translatability of traditional protocols. Despite her young age, she is co-author of more than 15 publications. She has an H-index of 9 and growing.
Disclosure Statement: The Guest Advisors declare no conflicts of interest.
