Nucleic acid detection… a critical role in medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and food safety. In their Research Article (e202203826), Xue Gao, Yi Zhang and co-workers developed a new biosensor for amplification-free nucleic acid detection via harnessing the transcleavage mechanism of Cas13a and ultrasensitive graphene field-effect transistors (gFETs). The illustration shows the Cas13a-mediated RNA trans-cleavage on a gFET surface for sensor signal transduction.

Research interest in nanoscale biomaterials has continued to grow in the past few decades, driving the need to form families of nanomaterials grouped by similar physical or chemical properties. Nanotubes have occupied a unique space in this field, primarily due to their high versatility in a wide range of biomedical applications. Although similar in morphology, members of this nanomaterial family widely differ in synthesis methods, mechanical and physiochemical properties, and therapeutic applications. As this field continues to develop, it is important to provide insight into novel biomaterial developments and their overall impact on current technology and therapeutics. In this review, we aim to characterize and compare two members of the nanotube family: carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and janus-base nanotubes (JBNts). While CNTs have been extensively studied for decades, JBNts provide a fresh perspective on many therapeutic modalities bound by the limitations of carbon-based nanomaterials. Herein, we characterize the morphology, synthesis, and applications of CNTs and JBNts to provide a comprehensive comparison between these nanomaterial technologies.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is the most specialized biological barrier in the body. This configuration of specialized cells protects the brain from invasion of molecules and particles through formation of tight junctions. To learn more about transport to the brain, in vitro modeling of the BBB is continuously advanced. The types of models and cells selected vary with the goal of each individual study, but the same validation methods, quantification of tight junctions, and permeability assays are often used. With Transwells and microfluidic devices, more information regarding formation of the BBB has been observed. Disease models have been developed to examine the effects on BBB integrity. The goal of modeling is not only to understand normal BBB physiology, but also to create treatments for diseases. This review will highlight several recent studies to show the diversity in model selection and the many applications of BBB models in in vitro research.

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Ocular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma, have had a profound impact on millions of patients. In the past couple of decades, these diseases have been treated using conventional techniques but have also presented certain challenges and limitations that affect patient experience and outcomes. To address this, biomaterials have been used for ocular drug delivery, and a wide range of systems have been developed. This review will discuss some of the major classes and examples of biomaterials used for the treatment of prominent ocular diseases, including ocular implants (biodegradable and non-biodegradable), nanocarriers (hydrogels, liposomes, nanomicelles, DNA-inspired nanoparticles, and dendrimers), microneedles, and drug-loaded contact lenses. We will also discuss the advantages of these biomaterials over conventional approaches with support from the results of clinical trials that demonstrate their efficacy.