Integrated Research Into the Nanoparticle–Protein Corona: A New Focus for Safe, Sustainable and Equitable Development of Nanomedicines

Abstract

Much contemporary nanotoxicology, nanotherapeutic and nanoregulatory research has been characterized by a focus on investigating how delivery of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) to cells is dictated primarily by components of the ENP surface. An alternative model, some implications of which are discussed here, begins with fundamental physicochemical research into the interaction of a dynamic nanoparticle–protein corona (NPC) with biological systems. The proposed new model also requires, however, that any such fresh NPC physicochemical research approach should involve integration and targeted collaboration from the earliest stages with nanotoxicology, nanotherapeutics and nanoregulatory expertise. The justification for this integrated approach, we argue, relates not just to efficiency and promotion of innovation but to an acknowledgement that public-funded basic physicochemical research in particular should now be accepted to incorporate strong higher order public-goods elements from its inception, not merely after product development at the technology-transfer stage. Issues, such as university-research cooperation, commercialization and intellectual property protection, safety and cost–effectiveness regulatory assessment, as well as technology transfer should not be viewed as second tier considerations, even in a ‘blue sky’ NPC basic research agenda.

Keywords::

• cost–effectiveness
• nanomedicine
• nanoparticle–protein corona
• nanotoxicology
• safety regulation
• technology transfer

Financial & competing interests disclosure

TA Faunce is Project Director of an Australian Research Council (ARC) discovery grant to investigate safety and cost-effectiveness regulation of nanomedicine. The ARC was not involved in the preparation of this paper. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

TA Faunce is Project Director of an Australian Research Council (ARC) discovery grant to investigate safety and cost-effectiveness regulation of nanomedicine. The ARC was not involved in the preparation of this paper. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.