Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been widely studied and applied in the field of tumor diagnosis and treatment because of their special fundamental properties. In order to make AuNPs more suitable for tumor diagnosis and treatment, their natural properties and the interrelationships between these properties should be systematically and profoundly understood. The natural properties of AuNPs were discussed from two aspects: physical and chemical. Among the physical properties of AuNPs, localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), radioactivity and high X-ray absorption coefficient are widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors. As an advantage over many other nanoparticles in chemicals, AuNPs can form stable chemical bonds with S-and N-containing groups. This allows AuNPs to attach to a wide variety of organic ligands or polymers with a specific function. These surface modifications endow AuNPs with outstanding biocompatibility, targeting and drug delivery capabilities. In this review, we systematically summarized the physicochemical properties of AuNPs and their intrinsic relationships. Then the latest research advancements and the developments of basic research and clinical trials using these properties are summarized. Further, the difficulties to be overcome and possible solutions in the process from basic laboratory research to clinical application are discussed. Finally, the possibility of applying the results to clinical trials was estimated. We hope to provide a reference for peer researchers to better utilize the excellent physicochemical properties of gold nanoparticles in oncotherapy.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery by nanocarriers has been identified as a promising strategy in the study and treatment of cancer. Short nucleotide sequences are synthesized exogenously to create siRNA, which triggers RNA interference (RNAi) in cells and silences target gene expression in a sequence-specific way. As a nucleic acid-based medicine that has gained popularity recently, siRNA exhibits novel potential for the treatment of cancer. However, there are still many obstacles to overcome before clinical siRNA delivery devices can be developed. In this review, we discuss prospective targets for siRNA drug design, explain siRNA drug properties and benefits, and give an overview of the current clinical siRNA therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. Additionally, we introduce the siRNA chemical modifications and delivery systems that are clinically sophisticated and classify bioresponsive materials for siRNA release in a methodical manner. This review will serve as a reference for researchers in developing more precise and efficient targeted delivery systems, promoting ongoing advances in clinical applications.

This paper presents an innovative driving method for an on-chip robot actuated by permanent magnets in a microfluidic chip. A piezoelectric ceramic is applied to induce ultrasonic vibration to the microfluidic chip and the high-frequency vibration reduces the effective friction on the MMT significantly. As a result, we achieved 1.1 micrometre positioning accuracy of the microrobot, which is 100 times higher accuracy than without vibration. The response speed is also improved and the microrobot can be actuated with a speed of 5.5 mm s⁻¹ in 3 degrees of freedom. The novelty of the ultrasonic vibration appears in the output force as well. Contrary to the reduction of friction on the microrobot, the output force increased twice as much by the ultrasonic vibration. Using this high accuracy, high speed, and high power microrobot, swine oocyte manipulations are presented in a microfluidic chip.

Biomineralization is a process in which organic matter and inorganic matter combine with each other under the regulation of living organisms. Because of the biomineralization-induced super survivability and retentivity, biomineralization has attracted special attention from biologists, archaeologists, chemists, and materials scientists for its tracer and transformation effect in rock evolution study and nanomaterials synthesis. However, controlling the biomineralization process in vitro as precisely as intricate biology systems still remains a challenge. In this review, the regulating roles of temperature, pH, and organics in biominerals forming process were reviewed. The artificially introducing and utilization of biomineralization, the bio-inspired synthesis of nanomaterials, in biomedical fields was further discussed, mainly in five potential fields: drug and cell-therapy engineering, cancer/tumor target engineering, bone tissue engineering, and other advanced biomedical engineering. This review might help other interdisciplinary researchers to bionic-manufacture biominerals in molecular-level for developing more applications of biomineralization.