Nano-enabled approaches in virology: emerging strategies for rapid detection, antiviral therapy, and biomimetic innovation

Abstract

Global health continues to be impacted by viral diseases, and this poses a need for timely diagnosis, potent antiviral treatment, and flexible prevention. To tackle these problems, nanotechnology has become an incredibly flexible tool for viral detection, therapeutic delivery, vaccination and biomimetic material design. Recent developments in the field of nano-enabled virology will be reviewed and will focus on the use of nanomaterials in the development of biosensors and diagnostic platforms to make virus detection more sensitive, specific, faster and more portable. It also explores the antiviral activity of metallic, polymeric, lipid-based, carbon-based and 2D nanomaterials, including MXenes, their ability to directly inactivate viruses and targeted delivery of antiviral agents and nucleic acids, etc. Special focus is placed on lipid nanoparticles as carriers for RNA therapeutics and mRNA vaccines, and novel vaccine strategies based on peptides, proteins, virus-like particles, and DNA. Virus-templated and virus-inspired nanomaterials are also included in the review and are considered as biomimetic platforms for the controlled fabrication of functional nanostructures. Special emphasis is placed on MXenes, which are currently being explored for the detection and application against viruses, due to their tunable surface chemistry and potential future applications, and challenges associated with stability, toxicity, and translation are highlighted. Finally, ongoing translational issues such as safety, toxicity, production, regulatory issues and the development of experimental platforms to clinical application are addressed.