Login / Signup

Nanomedicine Approaches Against Parasitic Worm Infections.

Pengyang LiPamela E Rios CoronadoXóchitl R R LongstaffAlexander J TarashanskyBo Wang
Published in: Advanced healthcare materials (2018)
Nanomedicine approaches have the potential to transform the battle against parasitic worm (helminth) infections, a major global health scourge from which billions are currently suffering. It is anticipated that the intersection of two currently disparate fields, nanomedicine and helminth biology, will constitute a new frontier in science and technology. This progress report surveys current innovations in these research fields and discusses research opportunities. In particular, the focus is on: (1) major challenges that helminth infections impose on mankind; (2) key aspects of helminth biology that inform future research directions; (3) efforts to construct nanodelivery platforms to target drugs and genes to helminths hidden in their hosts; (4) attempts in applying nanotechnology to enable vaccination against helminth infections; (5) outlooks in utilizing nanoparticles to enhance immunomodulatory activities of worm-derived factors to cure allergy and autoimmune diseases. In each section, achievements are summarized, limitations are explored, and future directions are assessed.
Keyphrases
  • global health
  • public health
  • cancer therapy
  • current status
  • genome wide
  • cross sectional
  • drug delivery
  • climate change