Biomolecule-based engineered nanoparticles for Cancer Theranostics

Nanotechnology is a fledgling field in cancer research, forging new opportunities to design and develop highly effective targeted therapies. By harnessing the unique properties of engineered precision nanoparticles (NPs), an arena of dual-purpose approach in nanomedicine called theranostics has emerged. Theranostics is a potential platform that integrates diagnosis and therapy within one nanosystem . For this system of approach, the tunability of engineered precision NPs and the potential to interact with a biological system are tailored to diagnose and treat the tumor microenvironment while minimizing damage to the healthy cells/tissues. The developed theranostic materials can incorporate biomolecules such as carriers, ligands, antibodies, specific drugs, and imaging probes. This review has discussed a comprehensive understanding of biomolecular nanomaterials and their enormous scope for designing theranostic nanosystems. The sections of this review have been categorized based on development in recent biomolecular-engineered nanomaterials such as biological metal ion-based NPs, biopolymer-based NPs, biological vesicle-mimetic NPs, biological micelle-mimetic NPs, biological ferritin-based NPs, biological metal ion-based metal-organic frameworks, antibody-based, carbohydrate-based, lipid-based and nucleic acid-based nanomaterial NPs for theranostic application of cancer. We have also explored the strategies and challenges for implementing engineered precision theranostic nanomaterials from the laboratory to clinical practices. • Biomolecules in nanotechnology have a potential revolution in targeted cancer therapies. • Theranostic efficacy of functional biomolecules in cancer diagnosis is widely investigated. • Reviewed recent developments in biomolecular nanomaterials innovations and challenges. • Explored the major achievements in translating nanomaterials in clinical theranostics.