The design and use of materials in the nanoscale size range for addressing medical and health-related issues continues to receive increasing interest. Research in nanomedicine spans a multitude of areas, including drug delivery, vaccine development, antibacterial, diagnosis and imaging tools, wearable devices, implants, high-throughput screening platforms, etc. using biological, nonbiological, biomimetic, or hybrid materials. Many of these developments are starting to be translated into viable clinical products. Here, we provide an overview of recent developments in nanomedicine and highlight the current challenges and upcoming opportunities for the field and translation to the clinic.

Organelle-targeted photosensitization represents a promising approach in photodynamic therapy where the design of the active photosensitizer (PS) is very crucial. In this work, we developed a macromolecular PS with multiple copies of mitochondria-targeting groups and ruthenium complexes that displays highest phototoxicity toward several cancerous cell lines. In particular, enhanced anticancer activity was demonstrated in acute myeloid leukemia cell lines, where significant impairment of proliferation and clonogenicity occurs. Finally, attractive two-photon absorbing properties further underlined the great significance of this PS for mitochondria targeted PDT applications in deep tissue cancer therapy.

Nucleic acids are gaining significant attention as versatile building blocks for the next generation of soft materials. Due to significant advances in the chemical synthesis and biotechnological production, DNA becomes more widely available enabling its usage as bulk material in various applications. This has prompted researchers to actively explore the unique features offered by DNA‐containing materials like hydrogels. In this review article, recent developments in the field of hydrogels that feature DNA as a component either in the construction of the material or as functional unit within the construct and their biomedical applications are discussed in detail. First, different synthetic approaches for obtaining DNA hydrogels are summarized, which allows classification of DNA materials according to their structure. Then, new concepts, properties, and applications are highlighted such as DNA‐based biosensor devices, drug delivery platforms, and cell scaffolds. With the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine being awarded to cancer immunotherapy underscoring the importance of this therapy, DNA hydrogel systems designed to modulate the immune system are introduced. This review aims to give the reader a timely overview of the most important and recent developments in this emerging class of therapeutically useful materials of DNA‐based hydrogels.

DNA nanotechnology has seen large developments over the last 30 years through the combination of solid phase synthesis and the discovery of DNA nanostructures. Solid phase synthesis has facilitated the availability of short DNA sequences and the expansion of the DNA toolbox to increase the chemical functionalities afforded on DNA, which in turn enabled the conception and synthesis of sophisticated and complex 2D and 3D nanostructures. In parallel, polymer science has developed several polymerization approaches to build di- and triblock copolymers bearing hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and amphiphilic properties. By bringing together these two emerging technologies, complementary properties of both materials have been explored; for example, the synthesis of amphiphilic DNA–polymer conjugates has enabled the production of several nanostructures, such as spherical and rod-like micelles. Through both the DNA and polymer parts, stimuli-responsiveness can be instilled. Nanostructures have consequently been developed with responsive structural changes to physical properties, such as pH and temperature, as well as short DNA through competitive complementary binding. These responsive changes have enabled the application of DNA–polymer conjugates in biomedical applications including drug delivery. This review discusses the progress of DNA–polymer conjugates, exploring the synthetic routes and state-of-the-art applications afforded through the combination of nucleic acids and synthetic polymers.