Multifunctional Fe₃O₄@polydopamine core-shell nanocomposites for intracellular mRNA detection and imaging-guided photothermal therapy.

Multifunctional nanocomposites have the potential to integrate sensing, diagnostic, and therapeutic functions into a single nanostructure. Herein, we synthesize Fe3O4@polydopamine core-shell nanocomposites (Fe3O4@PDA NCs) through an in situ self-polymerization method. Dopamine, a melanin-like mimic of mussel adhesive proteins, can self-polymerize to form surface-adherent polydopamine (PDA) films onto a wide range of materials including Fe3O4 nanoparticles used here.

Graphitic-phase CN nanosheets as efficient photosensitizers and pH-responsive drug nanocarriers for cancer imaging and therapy.

Graphitic-phase carbon nitride (g-CN) nanosheets, the newly emerging two-dimensional (2D) layered nanomaterials, have been demonstrated to be promising bioimaging agents due to their high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yields, good biocompatibility and low toxicity. However, the therapeutic applications of g-CN nanosheets have not been explored until now. In this study, we have proven for the first time that g-CN nanosheets can be used as efficient photosensitizers for photodynamic tumor therapy and as pH-responsive nanocarriers for drug delivery.