{"title":"Carbon dots as multi-modal contrast agents: opportunities and open challenges for in vivo bioimaging","authors":"Elisa Sturabotti , Beatriz Sierra-Serrano , Samantha Marcelino Apresto , Michele Cesco , Luca Comparini , Lucia Cardo , Maurizio Prato","doi":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115659","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115659","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon dots (CDs), a class of carbonaceous and fluorescent nanomaterials with ultra-small dimensions (below 10 nm), have become popular nanoparticles in several fields, such as nanomedicine, catalysis, sensing or electronics. Due to their chemical versatility, luminescence, surface functional groups, biocompatibility and water solubility, they have been extensively studied in biomedical field. In this review, we focused on CDs used as nano contrast agents (nCAs) for fluorescence, magnetic resonance or computed tomography imaging in small animal models. We described the advantages of using CDs, highlighting some relevant examples, as well as the current issues that slow down their effective use in biomedicine, such as the rational synthetic design, scant purification and poor characterization. Lastly, we gathered some perspectives to develop carbon dots with more reliable properties and accomplish cutting-edge applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7254,"journal":{"name":"Advanced drug delivery reviews","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 115659"},"PeriodicalIF":15.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144684929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Baishali Kanjilal , Prince David Okoro , Razieh Jaberi , Ashley Taepakdee , Nourouddin Sharifi , Joshua Morgan , Vijayalakshmi Santhakumar , Victor G. Rodgers , Arameh Masoumi , Iman Noshadi
{"title":"Advances in carbon nanomaterials and their polymeric composites in neural tissue engineering","authors":"Baishali Kanjilal , Prince David Okoro , Razieh Jaberi , Ashley Taepakdee , Nourouddin Sharifi , Joshua Morgan , Vijayalakshmi Santhakumar , Victor G. Rodgers , Arameh Masoumi , Iman Noshadi","doi":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115658","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115658","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon‐based nanomaterials (CBMs) and their polymeric composites have garnered widespread interest in treating neurotrauma and neurodegenerative diseases, where restoring damaged central and peripheral nervous systems remains a persistent clinical challenge. These materials provide exceptional electrical conductivity, mechanical robustness, and tunable nanoscale architectures conducive to guiding neuronal growth, synaptic connectivity, and targeted biomolecule delivery. In this review, we explore the rationale, recent advances, and translational potential of CBM scaffolds in promoting neuronal survival, neurite outgrowth, and functional maturity across various experimental models. We detail key fabrication strategies, including electrospinning, phase inversion, 3D bioprinting, and pyrolysis that enable precise control over scaffolds’ structural and mechanical properties while facilitating the incorporation of neurotrophic factors, genes, and therapeutic drugs. Emerging <em>in vivo</em> findings suggest that CBM nanocomposites promote regenerative outcomes in peripheral nerve injuries at levels comparable to, or exceeding conventional autografts, underscoring their promise as off‐the‐shelf solutions. Nonetheless, concerns persist regarding large-scale manufacturing, cytotoxicity, and meeting regulatory standards for clinical use. By highlighting cutting-edge innovations and remaining bottlenecks, this review aims to guide future research endeavors in harnessing CBM scaffolds for safe and effective neural tissue repair.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7254,"journal":{"name":"Advanced drug delivery reviews","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 115658"},"PeriodicalIF":17.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144684724","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sara Jamshidi Parvar , Cheng In Wong , Andrew Lewis , Elwira Szychot , Christopher J. Morris , David Shorthouse , Karolina Dziemidowicz
{"title":"Convection-enhanced delivery for brain malignancies: Technical parameters, formulation strategies and clinical perspectives","authors":"Sara Jamshidi Parvar , Cheng In Wong , Andrew Lewis , Elwira Szychot , Christopher J. Morris , David Shorthouse , Karolina Dziemidowicz","doi":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115657","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115657","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The blood–brain barrier’s protective nature greatly restricts the entrance of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), presenting a significant challenge for effective drug delivery into the brain. Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) is emerging as a promising strategy to overcome this barrier by enabling the direct infusion of APIs at therapeutic concentrations into brain tissue, thereby expanding potential treatment options for brain tumours and neurological conditions. This review provides a current and comprehensive update on the field of CED, highlighting recent advances and ongoing challenges. In addition, various formulation strategies, including nanoparticles, cyclodextrins, and hydrogels, are considered, with an emphasis on identifying optimal formulation properties required to enhance CED administration. With insights from clinical trials, device engineering and pharmaceutical perspectives, this review highlights the critical factors that influence the success of CED and outlines future directions for its effective clinical translation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7254,"journal":{"name":"Advanced drug delivery reviews","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 115657"},"PeriodicalIF":15.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144664351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Konstantinos Loukelis , Udayabhanu Jammalamadaka , Antonios G. Mikos
{"title":"3D printing-enabled spatial patterning of biomimetic signals for bone tissue engineering","authors":"Konstantinos Loukelis , Udayabhanu Jammalamadaka , Antonios G. Mikos","doi":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115656","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115656","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the years, sustained research into the role of biomolecules in bone regeneration has provided valuable insights into their potential as therapeutic agents for tissue growth. However, challenges such as short half-lives and high production costs underscore the need for advanced tissue engineering platforms. Precise spatial delivery of these biomolecules to target sites remains a critical requirement. 3D printing has emerged as a powerful technology, enabling the layer-by-layer fabrication of hierarchically complex 3D structures with tailored biomechanical properties. Additionally, it facilitates the preservation and delivery of bioactive molecules following desirable kinetic patterns. This review highlights the most recent and notable advancements of 3D printing-enabled spatial patterning of biological cues aimed at promoting the formation of bone tissue, vascularized bone, osteochondral tissue, and bone-tendon interface.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7254,"journal":{"name":"Advanced drug delivery reviews","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 115656"},"PeriodicalIF":15.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144652217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mrutyunjaya Panda , Maria Fakitsa , Maria Markaki , Nektarios Tavernarakis
{"title":"Caenorhabditis elegans as an emerging high throughput chronotherapeutic drug screening platform for human neurodegenerative disorders","authors":"Mrutyunjaya Panda , Maria Fakitsa , Maria Markaki , Nektarios Tavernarakis","doi":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115655","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115655","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An increase in the aging population is accompanied by increased susceptibility to age-associated neurodegeneration, with currently no cure. Despite the diversity of symptoms and etiologies, neurodegenerative disorders share mechanistic commonalities and many pathophysiological features. These include disruptions in circadian rhythms that affect neuronal physiology. Systematic investigations in several animal models have advanced our understanding of the molecular processes that link circadian rhythms and neurodegenerative disease states. These models have also been used to screen and validate promising chronotherapeutic drug candidates that target the circadian clock to ameliorate neurodegeneration. With the emergence of robust and reliable methodologies to measure daily rhythms, the nematode model <em>Caenorhabditis elegans</em> has become a versatile tool for high throughput chronotherapeutic drug screening against neurodegenerative disorders. In this review, we discuss the unique features and advantages of <em>C. elegans</em> as an enabling platform for chronotherapeutic drug discovery, towards the development of innovative strategies for the treatment of human neurodegenerative conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7254,"journal":{"name":"Advanced drug delivery reviews","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 115655"},"PeriodicalIF":15.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144645548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adam Campbell-Galland , Akanksha Bafna , Aarti Jagannath
{"title":"The molecular circadian clock: From fundamental mechanisms to therapeutic promise in neurological disorders","authors":"Adam Campbell-Galland , Akanksha Bafna , Aarti Jagannath","doi":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115653","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115653","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Circadian rhythms are intrinsic biological processes in all forms of life, governed by a molecular clock, organising physiological and behavioural cycles to align with a 24-hour light–dark cycle. The disruption of these rhythms has been linked to a plethora of neurological conditions and impacting cognitive and metabolic functions.</div><div>This review offers a clear overview of the genetic and molecular mechanisms that govern the circadian clock. It focuses on the core clock feedback loops, the pathways involved and how these mechanisms are regulated. We explore how clocks in peripheral tissues are synchronised to the suprachiasmatic nucleus and how this is achieved through neuronal and humoral pathways. Additionally, we discuss how dysregulation in circadian rhythms contribute to neurological conditions and potential therapeutic treatments targeting circadian mechanisms. Understanding the mechanisms of circadian dysregulation provides insight into disease pathology and potential therapies. Interventions targeting circadian mechanisms, such as gene and drug delivery systems, show promise to restore rhythms and mitigate neurological symptoms. This review collates current knowledge on circadian biology and its applications addressing neurological dysfunctions, providing a foundation for potential chronotherapeutic interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7254,"journal":{"name":"Advanced drug delivery reviews","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 115653"},"PeriodicalIF":17.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144611397","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Georgina B Armstrong , Harriet Graham , Anthony Cheung , Hanieh Montaseri , Glenn A Burley , Sophia N Karagiannis , Zahra Rattray
{"title":"Antibody-drug conjugates as multimodal therapies against hard-to-treat cancers","authors":"Georgina B Armstrong , Harriet Graham , Anthony Cheung , Hanieh Montaseri , Glenn A Burley , Sophia N Karagiannis , Zahra Rattray","doi":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115648","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115648","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are rapidly emerging as an effective multimodal approach for the targeted delivery of cytotoxic small molecules to tumours with aberrantly overexpressed markers. Recent advances in antibody engineering and the emergence of highly potent cytotoxic drugs have created unprecedented scope for precision-based design of novel ADCs against chemotherapy-resistant tumours. However, their clinical translation faces the challenge of balancing efficacy and toxicity. Innovations in conjugation chemistries and antibody engineering are addressing these challenges, yet a more comprehensive <em>in vitro − in vivo</em> correlation is critical to accelerating their clinical translation. This review examines the latest advancements in ADC-based therapies for hard-to-treat cancers, focusing on design considerations that define their efficacy in breast cancer and glioblastoma multiforme. Additionally, we highlight current challenges in reconciling ADC quality attributes influencing their <em>in vivo</em> performance, which impedes their clinical translation. By integrating cutting-edge advancements in antibody engineering with industrial insights, this review casts a spotlight on the pivotal role of ADCs as a powerful biomolecular toolbox for delivering next-generation therapies to address unmet clinical need.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7254,"journal":{"name":"Advanced drug delivery reviews","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 115648"},"PeriodicalIF":15.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144602876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gizem D. Ozdemir , Carolina dos Anjos , Mehmet A. Ozdemir , Leon G. Leanse , Tianhong Dai
{"title":"Lights out for Superbugs: Is antimicrobial blue light a potential approach for future infection Control?","authors":"Gizem D. Ozdemir , Carolina dos Anjos , Mehmet A. Ozdemir , Leon G. Leanse , Tianhong Dai","doi":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115654","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115654","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant threat to global health, as traditional antimicrobials are increasingly losing efficacy against a broad spectrum of pathogens. Antimicrobial blue light (aBL), an innovative light-based approach that utilizes wavelengths between 405 and 470 nm, has emerged as a prominent alternative. Unlike conventional antimicrobials, aBL inactivates microorganisms without promoting resistance by targeting endogenous chromophores within pathogens to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). This review first provides an in-depth analysis of aBL’s mechanisms of action, highlighting its unique ROS-driven effects on microbial membranes, DNA, and proteins. Moreover, we discussed recent developments in aBL’s applications across bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens and evaluated its effectiveness in biofilm eradication and combinational therapies with conventional antimicrobials as well as with multimodal innovations. This review also examines the safety and regulatory considerations associated with aBL. While aBL holds tremendous potential, challenges remain in its clinical translation, including optimizing dosages, ensuring safety in complex biological systems, and advancing device design. Future research must address these gaps to facilitate the clinical translation of aBL and expand its role in combating resistant infections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7254,"journal":{"name":"Advanced drug delivery reviews","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 115654"},"PeriodicalIF":15.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144602877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhanpeng (Jim) Liu , Arpita Roy , Yuting Zheng , Nasim Annabi
{"title":"Harnessing carbon nanomaterials for reactive oxygen species regulation: Insights into generation, scavenging, and sensing","authors":"Zhanpeng (Jim) Liu , Arpita Roy , Yuting Zheng , Nasim Annabi","doi":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115651","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115651","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon nanomaterials (CBNs) have driven significant research advances in medicine over the past decades due to their unique structures and properties. In particular, the role of CBNs in regulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been extensively studied recently. ROS, primarily comprising free radicals and non-radical species of oxygen, are recognized as critical byproducts of cell metabolism. ROS level is vital for local cell and tissue homeostasis, facilitating cell–cell communication, and stabilizing the redox system under normal conditions. However, excessive accumulation of ROS can cause oxidative stress, leading to aging and serious pathologies. As a result, the regulation of ROS in various diseases has garnered significant attention. In this regard, understanding the interaction of CBNs with ROS is critical for their biomedical applications. This review article highlights the dual role of ROS in the tissue microenvironment and emphasizes the significance of the structure–property relationship of CBNs in regulating ROS. It further identifies emerging trends in recent studies on CBN-based ROS regulation including generation, scavenging, and sensing. Specifically, the potential for dynamic modulation of the tissue microenvironment through the combined generation and scavenging of ROS is highlighted. Finally, future perspectives are presented, focusing on the biosafety and potential clinical applications of CBNs, as well as recent advances in sensing technologies and insights into redox biology. Together, these insights aim to provide a foundation for designing CBN-based biomaterials for both ROS therapeutic and monitoring applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7254,"journal":{"name":"Advanced drug delivery reviews","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 115651"},"PeriodicalIF":15.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144594597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sara Barrambana , Elena Zamorano-Domínguez , Vasiliki Liaki , Carmen Guerra
{"title":"Navigating the complexities of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: A review on therapeutic models and RAS inhibitors","authors":"Sara Barrambana , Elena Zamorano-Domínguez , Vasiliki Liaki , Carmen Guerra","doi":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115652","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.addr.2025.115652","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal types of cancer, known for a poor prognosis. Currently, the standard of care for unresectable tumors consists of combinations of cytotoxic chemotherapy. Thus far, targeted therapies against specific oncogenic pathways have not been approved for clinical use. Most cases of pancreatic cancer are sporadic/non-hereditary Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinomas (PDACs) and are caused by activating mutations in the <em>KRAS</em> oncogene. For the past four decades, KRAS was considered “undruggable”. However, numerous multi-selective and mutant-specific RAS inhibitors are now under active development. In this review, we present experimental models of PDAC that facilitate studies of response to therapy and drug resistance. We also discuss recent evidence on targeted therapeutic strategies under preclinical and clinical evaluation, with emphasis on the KRAS signaling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7254,"journal":{"name":"Advanced drug delivery reviews","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 115652"},"PeriodicalIF":15.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144586833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}