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Design of oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Nature Reviews Materials volume 10, pages 252–267 (2025)Cite this article

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Abstract

Oxide nanoparticles have garnered significant attention in biomedical research owing to the numerous available synthetic approaches and highly tunable physicochemical properties, which enable diverse functions within biological systems. These nanoparticles can be broadly categorized based on their characteristics useful for biomedical applications. Magnetic oxide nanoparticles, for instance, are prominently used as contrast agents in MRI and as mediators to generate heat, mechanical force or electricity for therapy. Catalytic oxide nanoparticles can generate or eliminate reactive oxygen species, which are central to numerous biological processes. Porous oxide nanoparticles are adept at loading dye or drug molecules, making them invaluable for bioimaging and therapeutic interventions. In this Review, we highlight strategies for the fabrication and advanced engineering of oxide nanoparticles tailored for biomedical applications. We primarily focus on iron oxide, ceria and silica nanoparticles, delving into their diagnostic and therapeutic potentials. We also discuss future prospects and the challenges that must be addressed to meet clinical needs.

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Fig. 1: Oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications.
Fig. 2: In vivo journey of intravenously injected nanoparticles.
Fig. 3: Magnetic oxide nanoparticles for imaging and therapy.
Fig. 4: ROS modulation by catalytic oxide nanoparticles.
Fig. 5: Porous oxide nanoparticles for dye and drug loading.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Institute for Basic Science (grant number IBS-R006-D1) and National Research Foundation of Korea (grant numbers 2022R1A2C1003527 and RS-2024-00350999).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Bowon Lee, Yunjung Lee & Taeghwan Hyeon

  2. School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Bowon Lee, Yunjung Lee & Taeghwan Hyeon

  3. School of Advanced Materials Engineering, Kookmin University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Nohyun Lee

  4. Department of Bionano Engineering, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea

    Dokyoon Kim

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B.L., D.K. and T.H. contributed to the conception of the manuscript, writing the initial draft and designing the figures. All authors reviewed and edited the manuscript.

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Lee, B., Lee, Y., Lee, N. et al. Design of oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications. Nat Rev Mater 10, 252–267 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-024-00767-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-024-00767-x

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