Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) play a crucial role in the development of nanomedicine, principally due to their unique photophysical properties and high biocompatibility. The possibility to tune and customize the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) toward near-infrared region by modulating the AuNP shape is one of the reasons for the huge widespread use of AuNPs. The controlled synthesis of no-symmetrical nanoparticles, named anisotropic, is an exciting goal achieved by the scientific community which explains the exponential increase of the number of publications related to the synthesis and use of such type of AuNPs. Even with such steps forward and the AuNP translation in clinic being done, some key issues are still remain and they are related to a reliable and scalable production, a full characterization, and to the development of nanotoxicology studies on the long run. In this review we highlight the very recent advances on the synthesis of the main classes of anisotropic AuNPs (nanorods, nanourchins and nanocages) and their use in the biomedical fields, in terms of diagnosis and therapeutics.

Since their discovery, therapeutic or prophylactic vaccines represent a promising option to prevent or cure infections and other pathologies, such as cancer or autoimmune disorders. More recently, among a number of nanomaterials, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have emerged as novel tools for vaccine developments, thanks to their inherent ability to tune and upregulate immune response. Moreover, owing to their features, AuNPs can exert optimal actions both as delivery systems and as adjuvants. Notwithstanding the potential huge impact in vaccinology, some challenges remain before AuNPs in vaccine formulations can be translated into the clinic. The current review provides an updated overview of the most recent and effective application of gold nanoparticles as efficient means to develop a new generation of vaccine.

Glyco-gold nanoparticles combine in a single entity the peculiar properties of gold nanoparticles with the biological activity of carbohydrates. The result is an exciting nanosystem, able to mimic the natural multivalent presentation of saccharide moieties and to exploit the peculiar optical properties of the metallic core. In this review, we present recent advances on glyco-gold nanoparticle applications in different biological fields, highlighting the key parameters which inspire the glyco nanoparticle design.

We have developed an efficient conversion of amino iron oxides to carbohydrate and protein derived nanoparticles with highly conserved bioactivity through a combination of diazo transfer and azide–alkyne click technology.