VISION
“Nanomedicine allows for the design and synthesis of biomaterials at the molecular level, bringing to engineers the power to select multiple biological functions and tuned biomechanical properties for bioabsorbable bioprostheses hence designed for the specific pathology and, in the near future, customized for each patient. Nonetheless, nanomedicine should not be confined to the exploitation of nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery/diagnostic purposes: it is much more than that. Recently developed nanostructured scaffolds features more and more high-performance mechano-chemical properties that, together with their easy customization, will likely provide priceless assets for tissue engineers, boosting the chances of success of stem cell transplants and of multiple drug delivery strategies. Among them, synthetic protein/peptide-based materials are at the forefront of nanomedicine, but they can also potentially have unexpected positive consequences on food science, photonics, environmental surveillance, textile engineering and beyond. However, this remarkable potential comes at a price: designing and effectively testing new peptidic materials requires both a multi-disciplinary and an open-minded approach that will be the most crucial hurdle for scientists and postdocs in the coming years, likely more compelling than the real science behind it.”
