Over the last decade, organic photothermal therapy (PTT) agents have attracted increasing attention as a potential complement for, or alternative to, classical drugs and sensitizers involving inorganic nanomaterials. In this tutorial review, we provide a structured description of the main classes of organic photothermal agents and their characteristics. Representative agents that have been studied in the context of photothermal therapy since 2000 are summarized and recent advances in using PTT agents to address various cancers indications are highlighted.

Calix[n]arenes (n = 4, 5, 6, 8) are "chalicelike" phenol-based macrocycles that are among the most fascinating and highly studied scaffolds in supramolecular chemistry. This stems from the functional and tunable diversity at both their upper and lower rims, their preorganized nonpolar cavities and preorganized ionbinding sites, and their well-defined conformations. Conjugation of calixarene scaffolds with various fluorogenic groups has led to the development of smart fluorescent probes that have been utilized as molecular sensors, in bioimaging, for drug and gene delivery, in self-assembly/aggregation, and as smart materials. The fine-tuning and incorporation of different ligating sites in the calix[4]arene scaffold have produced numerous molecular sensors for cations, anions, and biomolecules. Moreover, the aqueous solubility of p-sulfonatocalix[4]arenes has engendered their potential use in drug/gene delivery and enzymatic assays. In addition, because of their strong optical properties, fluorescent calix[4]arenes have been used to develop smart materials, including gels as well as nonlinear optical, organic light-emitting diode, and multiphoton materials. Finally, significant developments in the utility of fluorescent higher calixarenes have been made for bioapplications. This review critically summarizes the recent advances made in all of these different areas.

This review summarizes the emerging two-dimensional (2D) monoelemental materials (Xenes) with unique 2D structures and their fascinating properties and showcases their potential in biomedical applications.

Hypoxia is a state of low oxygen tension found in numerous solid tumours.

Protons play crucial roles in many physiological and pathological processes, such as receptor-mediated signal transduction, ion transport, endocytosis, homeostasis, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. The urgent demand for pH imaging and measurement in biological systems has incited the development of fluorescent pH probes. Numerous fluorescent probes have been reported, but many lack the abilities needed for biological applications. Hence, the development of new pH probes with better biocompatibility, sensitivity, and site-specificity is still indispensable. This review highlights the recent trends in the development of fluorescent materials as essential tools for tracing pH variations in the biological processes of diverse living systems.