Design of carbon dot hybrid nanogels for cancer nanomedicine applications

Designing efficient nanohybrids that can integrate carbon dots (CDs) and nanogels (NGs) is of paramount significance in the field of nanomedicine due to their remarkable properties. These nanoplatforms have demonstrated unique characteristics conducive to the field of biomedical engineering. CDs are endowed with promising biomedical potential due to their fluorescence properties, small size, biocompatibility and improved stability. Conversely, NGs have made significant progress in biomedical fields for clinical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions due to their porous architectures, large surface area, and good biocompatibility. The distinctive advantages of CDs and NGs render them particularly suitable for formulation as optimal nanohybrid systems intended for nanomedicine applications. In this concise review, we systematically surveyed the recent advances in the design of hybrid of CDs and NGs through various synthesis approaches for a diverse range of biomedical applications, specifically for bioimaging, drug delivery, and imaging guided therapy, which are summarized. Additionally, the future perspectives toward the design of hybrid of CDs and NGs nanosystems for nanomedicine applications are thoroughly evaluated. • The formulation of hybrid CD-based NGs via different approaches , including non-covalent interactions, precipitation polymerization, inverse nanoprecipitation, covalent cross-linking, and free radical polymerization. • The constructed CD-based hybrid NGs represent a promising alternative for a multitude of applications within the realm of nanomedicine. • Current progress in the clinical translation of CD-based hybrid NGs has been thoroughly discussed.