by John Pastor,Virginia Tech

Advantages of nanomaterials for immunotherapy delivery to tumors and immune cells. Credit:Nature Cancer(2025). DOI: 10.1038/s43018-025-01025-x

Scientists at Virginia Tech's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and their collaborators are exploring emerging trends in cancer immunotherapy with back-to-back review articles published inNature CancerandTrends in Cancerthat look at how nanotechnology could reprogram the immune system and help overcome tumors' defenses.

Both papers highlight how nanoengineering strategies are emerging as powerful tools to address limitations of current immunotherapies, particularly in treating solid tumors.

"Our immune system has remarkable potential to fight cancer, but tumors develop ways to suppress or evade these defenses," said DaeYong Lee, assistant professor with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. "By integrating nanotechnology with immunology, we are exploring new possibilities for designing therapies that are more precise and effective."

The review articles synthesize emerging insights from across the field. Lee and his colleagues integrate research from multiple laboratories and approaches to define where nanomedicine and immunotherapy intersect today, setting the stage for innovation and potential breakthroughs.

TheNature Cancerreviewfirst author Lee, in partnership with corresponding authors Wen Jiang and Betty Y.S. Kim of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, outlines how nanotechnology can:

TheTrends in Cancerreview, co-authored by corresponding researcher Lee and colleagues with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, focuses on phagocytosis—the process by which immune cells engulf and eliminate tumor cells. The review outlines strategies by which nanomedicines may help restore this natural defense, including efforts to:

By integrating key advances from multiple laboratories and disciplines, Lee and his collaborators provide a framework for understanding how nanomedicine can transformcancer immunotherapy, a step toward next-generation patient treatments.

"The challenge now is translating these discoveries into therapies that are safe, effective, and accessible for patients," said Lee, who is also a faculty member in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics. "That's the goal we're working toward."

More information: Adam J. Grippin et al, Nanotechnology for immuno-oncology, Nature Cancer (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s43018-025-01025-x Susam Lee et al, Leveraging phagocytosis using nanomedicines for cancer immunotherapy, Trends in Cancer (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2025.08.004 Journal information: Nature Cancer

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