Facilitating the Clinical Integration of Nanomedicines: The Roles of Theoretical and Computational Scientists

Since the launch of multiple research initiatives on nanotechnology applied to medicine in the early 2000s, a plethora of nanomedicines have been developed that exhibit great therapeutic efficacy in preclinical models but yet minimal impact in daily clinical practice. The successful and complete clinical fruition of nanomedicines requires addressing three major technical challenges: improving loading efficacy and on-command release, modulating recognition and sequestration by immune cells, and maximizing accumulation at biological targets. In this Perspective, I describe how theoretical and computational models can help address each of these challenges. This armamentarium represents an ideal tool for maximizing the therapeutic efficacy of nanomedicines, thus facilitating their integration into daily clinical operations.