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The development of nanoscale delivery vehicles for siRNAs is a current topic of considerable importance. However, little is understood about the exact trafficking mechanisms for siRNA-vehicle complexes across the plasma membrane and into the cytoplasm. While some information can be gleaned from studies on delivery of plasmid DNA, the different delivery requirements for these two vehicles makes drawing specific conclusions a challenge. However, using chemical inhibitors of different endocytosis pathways, studies on which endocytotic pathways are advantageous and deleterious for the delivery of nucleic acid drugs are emerging. Using this information as a guide, it is expected that the future development of effective siRNA delivery vehicles and therapeutics will be greatly improved.

Genomic modification through nucleic acid delivery is a frequently applied method in fundamental biological studies and offers a potent therapeutic strategy for disease treatment and biological research. Delivery of nucleic sequences is therefore an attractive facet of biological nanotechnology as highly specific, efficient, and nonantagonistic delivery is necessary for in vivo and clinical use. Previous vectors have suffered from immunogenic responses, serum dependent inactivation, and cytotoxicity, hindering their translational applicability. Current research in polymeric-based nucleotide delivery strives to offer a highly biocompatible, broad use vector through the utilization of polypeptide and polyamine conjugation that can be easily tailored for specific targeting or wide dissemination. Cross-linking low molecular weight polyamines and lipophilic derivatization for amphiphile creation has lead to improved biocompatibility and transfection efficiency compared to higher molecular weight polyamines. Derivatization of hyperbranched and dendritic polyamido- and polyamines has allowed for the formation of efficient in vivo transfection vectors; ring opening synthesis of N-carboxyanhydride amino acids have led to controlled peptide architectures for improved transfection while simultaneously providing convenient primary amines useful in functionalization. Polymer libraries of poly(ß-amino esters) have provided insights into useful architectures for in vitro and in vivo gene delivery. Grafting small molecules to polyamines, such as folate and galactose, for enhanced interaction with cell surface receptors for selective targeting of specific cell types has proven to be encouraging and remains a prominent aspect in biological nanotechnology.

This review paper presents an overview of periodontal disease, beginning with clinical aspects including prevalence, etiology, disease progression mechanisms and implications for general health, followed by current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. We then describe experimental models used for in vitro and in vivo investigations of periodontal disease, and emerging therapeutic approaches based on biomedical and tissue engineering concepts, nanotechnology, gene and stem cell therapies. We aim to provide bioengineers, tissue engineers and nanotechnology researchers an overall understanding of the state-of-the-art of periodontal disease to foster technological innovation based on interdisciplinary research and collaboration between physical and medical scientists.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with involvement of multiple systems. Despite the therapeutic advances in the past few decades, refractory SLE causing organ damage and life-threatening complications still poses a therapeutic challenge. Therapeutic plasma exchange is considered as one of the rescue therapies used in refractory SLE. However, the level of evidence supporting its use is low. This article reviews the current evidence of the application of plasmapheresis in the treatment of SLE.

AI for infectious disease modelling and therapeutics is an emerging area that leverages new computational approaches and data in this area. Genomics, proteomics, biomedical literature, social media, and other resources are proving to be critical tools to help understand and solve complicated issues ranging from understanding the process of infection, diagnosis and discovery of the precise molecular details, to developing possible interventions and safety profiling of possible treatments.