Editorial
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 7
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Editorial Nanosystems: An Innovative Tool for Medicinal Chemistry The reasons and challenges of nanoscience are different but they all face up to the same challenge: a journey from the known to the unknown and face a strange medium that requires a great capacity for adaptation and a variety of new responses. At this new frontier of the science a large number of scientists have attended from different disciplines attracted by this new challenge. Facing these new challenges lead us to reflect on how we stand before them and, from this analysis, try to find the answers. However, to a greater or lesser extent, these responses are conditioned by the academic background, which formative influence researchers never entirely can escape from, even those who rejected it with full consciousness for a new vision. Here arises an interesting dichotomy between the inertia of the classic and the attraction of the modern. Fortunately, this polarization is not only interesting but also stimulates creativity and open new frontiers. It is, most likely, in the field of nanoscience where have change the most the old problem of the classification of the sciences, where nobody wants to build a rigid and unchanging system in which each discipline would have its own and defined place. Instead, in this subject everyone have a place and contribute with their diversified points of view to the development of a discipline that will affect undoubtedly all sectors of society. But while the contribution of nanoscience is essential in society, where it becomes really essential is in medicine. Nowadays, is indispensable interrelationship between medicine and nanoscience. By all the aforementioned we wish to present here a series of studies where authors from different fields show their progress, views and perspectives on the application of nanoscience in chemical medicine. The first paper investigates the effect of chitosan hydrophobization on the internalization and cytotoxic effect of chitosanbased nanoparticles (NPs) on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), cervical cancer cells (HeLa) and non-cancer cells (Arpe-19). The second paper offers a critical review on the recent results pertinent to fibrinogen adsorption at solid/electrolyte interfaces with the emphasis focused on a quantitative analysis of these processes in terms of the electrostatic interactions. Next paper provides examples of designed molecules and chemical biology to give tools to discover biological and/or pathological pathways, showing the power of chemical tools not only for the synthesis of new molecules but also to improve our understanding of recognition and self-assembly in the biological context. Continuing in this line, the fourth paper provides a interesting account of the progress in the field of peptide self-assembly from pore-forming toxins to amyloid forming peptides and those forming nanostructures. Then, in the fifth paper, the authors review the fundamentals of nano-droplet systems based on surfactant self-assembly and present recent advances in their preparation, characterization. They also address quite specific aspects of the application of nano-droplet systems in the pharmaceutical industry. The different methods we can use to achieve reversible DNA compaction in vitro. Is summarized and discussed in the sixth contribution; while, the formation of reverse micelles by nonionic alcohol ethoxylates surfactants in non polar solvents has been studied in the next paper. The paper number eight offers us a stimulating study on the recent advances in synthesis of functional poly--caprolactone (PCL) and its self-assembly behavior, as well as application in drug delivery. Finally, the last paper provides an updated review of the recent challenges overcome by using recombinant biomaterials in the fields of nano- and biomedicine, ranging from nanoscale applications in surface modifications and self-assembled nanostructures to drug delivery and regenerative medicine.
Juan M. Ruso Guest Editor Department of Applied Physics University of Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain E-mail:
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Paula V. Messina Guest Editor Department of Chemistry Universidad Nacional del Sur INQUISUR-CONICET 8000 Bahía Blanca Argentina E-mail:
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