Copyright © 2020 Chu, Montecillo and Bae.The cell membrane-coating strategy has opened new opportunities for the development of biomimetic and multifunctional drug delivery platforms. Recently, a variety of gold nanoparticles, which can combine with blood cell membranes, have been shown to provide an effective approach for cancer therapy. Meanwhile, this class of hybrid nanostructures can deceive the immunological system to exhibit synergistic therapeutic effects. Here, we synthesized red blood cell (RBC) and platelet membrane-coated gold nanostars containing curcumin (R/P-cGNS) and evaluated whether R/P-cGNS had improved anticancer efficacy. We also validated a controlled release profile under near-infrared irradiation for the ability to target melanoma cells and to have an immunomodulatory effect on macrophages. RBC membrane coating provided self-antigens; therefore, it could evade clearance by macrophages, while platelet membrane coating provided targetability to cancer cells. Additionally, the nutraceutical curcumin provided anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects. In conclusion, the results presented in this study demonstrated that R/P-cGNS can deliver drugs to the target region and enhance anticancer effects while avoiding macrophage phagocytosis. We believe that R/P-cGNS can be a new design of the cell-based hybrid system for effective cancer therapy. Copyright © 2020 Kim, Lee, Niidome, Komohara, Lee and Park.Electrospinning is a technique that uses polymer solutions and strong electric fields to produce nano-sized fibers that have wide-ranging applications. We present here an overview of the use of electrospinning to incorporate biological products into nanofibers, including microorganisms, cells, proteins, and nucleic acids. Although the conditions used during electrospinning limit the already problematic viability/stability of such biological products, their effective incorporation into nanofibers has been shown to be feasible. Synthetic polymers have been more frequently applied to make nanofibers than natural polymers. Polymer blends are commonly used to achieve favorable physical properties of nanofibers. The majority of nanofibers that contain biological product have been designed for therapeutic applications. The incorporation of these biological products into nanofibers can promote their stability or viability, and also allow their delivery to a desired tissue or organ. Other applications include plant pr and Berlec.Eimeria species are pathogenic protozoa with a wide range of hosts and the cause of poultry coccidiosis, which results in huge economic losses to the poultry industry. These parasites encode a genome of ∼8000 genes that control a highly coordinated life cycle of asexual replication and sexual differentiation, transmission, and virulence. Rapamycin supplier However, the function and physiological importance of the large majority of these genes remain unknown mostly due to the lack of tools for systematic analysis of gene functions. Here, we report the first application of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology in Eimeria tenella for analysis of gene function at a single gene level as well as for systematic functional analysis of an entire gene family. Using a transgenic line constitutively expressing Cas9, we demonstrated successful and efficient loss of function through non-homologous end joining as well as guided homologous recombination. Application of this approach to the study of the localization of EtGRA9 revealed that the gene encodes a secreted protein whose cellular distribution varied during the life cycle. Systematic disruption of the ApiAp2 transcription factor gene family using this approach revealed that 23 of the 33 factors expressed by this parasite are essential for development and survival in the host. Our data thus establish CRISPR-Cas9 as a powerful technology for gene editing in Eimeria and will set the stage for systematic functional analysis of its genome to understand its biology and pathogenesis, and will make it possible to identify and validate new targets for coccidiosis therapy. Copyright © 2020 Hu, Tang, Ben Mamoun, Wang, Wang, Gu, Duan, Zhang, Suo, Deng, Yu, Suo and Liu.Self-assembly is the process of association of individual units of a material into highly arranged/ordered structures/patterns. It imparts unique properties to both inorganic and organic structures, so generated, via non-covalent interactions. Currently, self-assembled nanomaterials are finding a wide variety of applications in the area of nanotechnology, imaging techniques, biosensors, biomedical sciences, etc., due to its simplicity, spontaneity, scalability, versatility, and inexpensiveness. Self-assembly of amphiphiles into nanostructures (micelles, vesicles, and hydrogels) happens due to various physical interactions. Recent advancements in the area of drug delivery have opened up newer avenues to develop novel drug delivery systems (DDSs) and self-assembled nanostructures have shown their tremendous potential to be used as facile and efficient materials for this purpose. The main objective of the projected review is to provide readers a concise and straightforward knowledge of basic concepts of supramolecular self-assembly process and how these highly functionalized and efficient nanomaterials can be useful in biomedical applications. Approaches for the self-assembly have been discussed for the fabrication of nanostructures. Advantages and limitations of these systems along with the parameters that are to be taken into consideration while designing a therapeutic delivery vehicle have also been outlined. In this review, various macro- and small-molecule-based systems have been elaborated. Besides, a section on DNA nanostructures as intelligent materials for future applications is also included. Copyright © 2020 Yadav, Sharma and Kumar.Wound infections constitute an increasing clinical problem worldwide. To reverse this trend, several wound dressings with antimicrobial properties have been developed. Considering the increasing presence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, product developers have been focusing their efforts in introducing antibiotic-free antibacterial wound dressings to the market, with silver being the most commonly incorporated antimicrobial agent. In this scenario, gaining information about the microbial and eukaryotic cells’ response to these dressings is needed for a proper selection of antimicrobial dressings for the different cases of infected wounds. In particular, one insufficiently explored parameter is the effect of the dressings on the immunomodulation of macrophages, the main immune cell population participating in the repair process, because of their pivotal role in the transition of the inflammation to the proliferation phase of wound healing. In this work, three different clinically applied antimicrobial, silver impregnated wound dressings were selected Atrauman® Ag, Biatain® Alginate Ag and PolyMem WIC Silver® Non-adhesive.