Intersection of nanomaterials and organoids technology in biomedicine

Enhancing organoid technology with carbon-based nanomaterial biosensors: Advancements, challenges, and future directions

Various carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs) have been utilized to develop nano- and microscale biosensors that enable real-time and continuous monitoring of biochemical and biophysical changes in living biological systems. The integration of CBN-based biosensors into organoids has recently provided valuable insights into organoid development, disease modeling, and drug responses, enhancing their functionality and expanding their applications in diverse biomedical fields. These biosensors have been particularly transformative in studying neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, cancer progression, and liver toxicity, where precise, non-invasive monitoring is crucial for understanding pathophysiological mechanisms and assessing therapeutic efficacy. This review introduces intra- and extracellular biosensors incorporating CBNs such as graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), carbon dots (CDs), and fullerenes. Additionally, it discusses strategies for improving the biocompatibility of CBN-based biosensors and minimizing their potential toxicity to ensure long-term organoid viability. Key challenges such as biosensor integration, data accuracy, and functional compatibility with specific organoid models are also addressed. Furthermore, this review highlights how CBN-based biosensors enhance the precision and relevance of organoid models in biomedical research, particularly in organ-specific applications such as brain-on-a-chip systems for neurodegenerative disease studies, liver-on-a-chip platforms for hepatotoxicity screening, and cardiac organoids for assessing cardiotoxicity in drug development. Finally, it explores how biosensing technologies could revolutionize personalized medicine by enabling high throughput drug screening, patient-specific disease modeling, and integrated sensing platforms for early diagnostics. By capturing current advancements and future directions, this review underscores the transformative potential of carbon-based nanotechnology in organoid research and its broader impact on medical science.

Nanomaterials in Organoids: From Interactions to Personalized Medicine

Organoids are three-dimensional models of microscopic organisms created through the self-organization of various types of stem cells. They are widely unitized in personalized medicine due to their capacity to replicate the structure and functionality of native organs. Meanwhile, nanotechnology has been integrated into diagnostic and therapeutic tools to manage an array of medical conditions, given its unique characteristics of nanoscale. Nanomaterials have demonstrated potential in developing innovative and effective organoids. With a focus on studying the interaction of nanomaterials and organoid technology in personalized medicine, this Review examines the role of nanomaterials in regulating the fate of stem cells to construct different types of organoids. It also explores the potential of nanotechnology to create 3D microenvironments for organoids. Finally, perspectives and challenges of applying nanotechnology for organoids development toward the translation of personalized medicine are discussed.

Twenty years of in vitro nanotoxicology: how AI could make the difference

More than two decades ago, the advent of Nanotechnology has marked the onset of a new and critical field in science and technology, highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to assess and model the potential human hazard of newly developed advanced materials in the nanoscale, the nanomaterials (NMs). Nanotechnology is, by definition, a multidisciplinary field, that integrates knowledge and techniques from physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, and engineering to manipulate matter at the nanoscale, defined as anything comprised between 1 and 100 nm. The emergence of nanotechnology has undoubtedly led to significant innovations in many fields, from medical diagnostics and targeted drug delivery systems to advanced materials and energy solutions. However, the unique properties of nanomaterials, such as the increased surface to volume ratio, which provides increased reactivity and hence the ability to penetrate biological barriers, have been also considered as potential risk factors for unforeseen toxicological effects, stimulating the scientific community to investigate to which extent this new field of applications could pose a risk to human health and the environment.

Multiscale engineering of brain organoids for disease modeling

Brain organoids hold great potential for modeling human brain development and pathogenesis. They recapitulate certain aspects of the transcriptional trajectory, cellular diversity, tissue architecture and functions of the developing brain. In this review, we explore the engineering strategies to control the molecular-, cellular- and tissue-level inputs to achieve high-fidelity brain organoids. We review the application of brain organoids in neural disorder modeling and emerging bioengineering methods to improve data collection and feature extraction at multiscale. The integration of multiscale engineering strategies and analytical methods has significant potential to advance insight into neurological disorders and accelerate drug development.

Application of organoid technology in the human health risk assessment of microplastics: A review of progresses and challenges

Microplastic (MP) pollution has become a global environmental issue, and increasing concern has been raised about its impact on human health. Current studies on the toxic effects and mechanisms of MPs have mostly been conducted in animal models or in vitro cell cultures, which have limitations regarding inter-species differences or stimulation of cellular functions. Organoid technology derived from human pluripotent or adult stem cells has broader prospects for predicting the potential health risks of MPs to humans. Herein, we reviewed the current application advancements and opportunities for different organoids, including brain, retinal, intestinal, liver, and lung organoids, to assess the human health risks of MPs. Organoid techniques accurately simulate the complex processes of MPs and reflect phenotypes related to diseases caused by MPs such as liver fibrosis, neurodegeneration, impaired intestinal barrier and cardiac hypertrophy. Future perspectives were also proposed for technological innovation in human risk assessment of MPs using organoids, including extending the lifespan of organoids to assess the chronic toxicity of MPs, and reconstructing multi-organ interactions to explore their potential in studying the microbiome-gut-brainaxis effect of MPs.