The present disclosure provides compositions comprising encapsulated engineered bacteria. The bacteria may be engineered to act as sensors of biomarkers, such as inflammation, as well as to produce diagnostic or therapeutic agents.

In an embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to a nanocarrier having a shell and a core disposed within the shell. In some embodiments, the shell includes a functionalized surface. In an additional embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to a method of drug delivery. In general, the method includes administering a nanocarrier to a subject, targeting, by the nanocarrier, an area in the subject, and releasing a composition having the drug to the area. In some embodiments, the nanocarrier has a shell and a core disposed within the shell. In some embodiments, the shell includes a functionalized surface.

Provided are methods, combinations and pharmaceutical compositions for treating or preventing an infection in a subject using a nanoparticle comprising a) an inner core comprising a non-cellular material, and b) an outer surface comprising a cellular membrane configured for adhesion of a pathogen that causes said infection. Exemplary infection includes infection caused by a virus, bacterium, fungus, or protozoan.

A method of preparing a vesicular particle having at least in part a lipid and/or polymeric membrane that is a barrier between the interior and exterior of the vesicular particle, wherein the membrane includes at least one inorganic core nanoparticle embedded in the membrane, the method includes the steps of i) providing a first dispersion with one or more inorganic core particles having a hydrophobic dispersant shell, in a solution of membrane forming lipids and/or polymers in a non-aqueous solvent; and ii) introducing the first dispersion into a non-solvent for the membrane forming lipids and/or polymers, wherein the volume of the non-solvent exceeds the volume of the first dispersion, thereby forming the vesicular particles; the produced particle preparations and their uses.

Described herein is a composition for delivery of an active agent. The composition includes a peptide coacervate, wherein the peptide coacervate includes one or more peptides derived from histidine-rich proteins, and an active agent encapsulated in the peptide coacervate. Further provided are a method for encapsulation of an active agent in a peptide coacervate, a method for delivery of an active agent, and a method for treating or diagnosing a condition or disease in a subject in need thereof.

A core-shell plasmonic nanogapped nanostructured material is provided. The core-shell nanogapped nanostructured material has a core and at least one shell surrounding the core, wherein the at least one shell comprises a first layer comprising a polymer having a catechol group, wherein the first layer defines the nanogap in the core-shell plasmonic nanostructured material, and a second layer comprises a metal disposed on the first layer. A method of preparing the core-shell plasmonic nanogap nanostructured material, and use of the core-shell plasmonic nanogap nanostructured material are also provided. As an embodiment, a polydopamine covalently bonded to a Raman probe or a fluorescent probe is used to prepare the first layer of the shell in said core-shell plasmonic nanogap nanostructured material, thereafter a gold shell is deposited onto the polydopamine to form a second layer of the shell. In present invention, it is demonstrated that the method is highly versatile and can be used for different core materials, including magnetic Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 nanoparticles and metal-organic frameworks (MOF) nanoparticles. The potential application of said core-shell plasmonic nanogapped nanostructured in sensing and theranostics is also demonstrated.

Magnetically driven biocompatible microrobots comprising a porous body having a magnetic layer and a biocompatible layer configured to carry and deliver cells to desired sites are described. Embodiments of microrobots are configured with enhanced cell-loading ability, such as by including a plurality of burr members disposed upon the porous body for configuring the microrobot for enhanced cell-loading. The magnetic layer of embodiments may be provided on some portion or all of a surface of the microrobot for configuring the microrobot to be controlled with an external magnetic field. The biocompatible layer of embodiments may be provided on some portion or all of a surface of the microrobot, possibly coating some or all of the aforementioned magnetic layer, for configuring the microrobot for improved biostability and biocompatibility.

A method for controlled delivery of a substance into a body includes administering a plurality of containment vessels into the body, in which each of the plurality of containment vessels includes a quantity of the substance loaded therein prior to the administering; and providing a time-varying magnetic field such that the plurality of containment vessels are exposed thereto to cause a release of at least a portion of the substance from the plurality of containment vessels. Each of the plurality of containment vessels has an average outer diameter less than about 1 m.

An anti-vascular diseases and antitumor pharmaceutical composition is provided in the present invention, and it includes effective ingredients including bleomycin antitumor antibiotic, adrenal glucocorticoid, epinephrine or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof in a weight ratio of (1-8):(2-5):(0.00005-0.001). The pharmaceutical composition provided can be used for treatment of vascular diseases and tumors.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for delivering an oligonucleotide-functionalized nanoparticle.