Studying the interactions between nanoengineered materials and biological systems plays a vital role in the development of biological applications of nanotechnology and the improvement of our fundamental understanding of the bio–nano interface. A significant barrier to progress in this multidisciplinary area is the variability of published literature with regards to characterizations performed and experimental details reported. Here, we suggest a ‘minimum information standard’ for experimental literature investigating bio–nano interactions. This standard consists of specific components to be reported, divided into three categories: material characterization, biological characterization and details of experimental protocols. Our intention is for these proposed standards to improve reproducibility, increase quantitative comparisons of bio–nano materials, and facilitate meta analyses and in silico modelling.

Poorly water-soluble drugs continue to be a problematic, yet important class of pharmaceutical compounds for treatment of a wide range of diseases. Their prevalence in discovery is still high, and their development is usually limited by our lack of a complete understanding of how the complex chemical, physiological and biochemical processes that occur between administration and absorption individually and together impact on bioavailability. This review defines the challenge presented by these drugs, outlines contemporary strategies to solve this challenge, and consequent in silico and in vitro evaluation of the delivery technologies for poorly water-soluble drugs. The next steps and unmet needs are proposed to present a roadmap for future studies for the field to consider enabling progress in delivery of poorly water-soluble compounds.