Nanomaterials/microorganism-integrated microbiotic nanomedicine

Based on the great advances of the nanomaterials and nanotechnology in the last decade, nanomedicine combining the nanomaterials and nanobiotechnology has been attracting intensive attentions worldwide owing to its bright prospects in generating numerous theranostic modalities against various pathological lesions. Nevertheless, synthetic nanomaterials-based nanomedicine is now facing critical challenges of less effective targeting and insufficient accumulations at pathological sites, raising the critical issues of exaggerated therapeutic dosages and the consequent risks of biosafety. Alternatively, natural microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses have evolved to be capable of targeting certain types of cells effectively by specific mechanisms such as tropism, which enable them to serve as natural vesicles for targeted cargo delivery. By the hybridization of the nanomaterials and microorganisms, researchers nowadays can build versatile microbial nanohybrids for novel and promising nanomedical therapeutics. In this review, we will start from the fundamentals of the physiochemical properties of the microorganisms, and summarize the most recent progress in the basic construction methodologies of microbial nanohybrids and their distinct therapeutic performances for various diseases. The perspectives, promising research frontiers and remaining challenges in this interdisciplinary area will be comprehensively outlooked to provide insights towards the “swallowing the surgeon” envisions.