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Updated: Mar 17, 2026

Alternating Magnetic Field-Responsive Hybrid Gelatin Microgels for Controlled Drug Release
Published on: February 13, 2016
Development of innovative hybrid and intrinsically magnetic nanobeads as a drug delivery system
Elisabetta Campodoni1, Alessio Adamiano1, Samuele M Dozio1,2
1Institute of Science & Technology for Ceramics, National Research Council of Italy, ISTEC-CNR, Faenza, Italy.
Aim:
Synthesis of superparamagnetic hybrid nanobeads (MHNs) made of iron-substituted hydroxyapatite nanophase mineralizing a self-assembling alginate (Alg) matrix to be used as drug carriers, with ability of remote activation by magnetic signaling.
Materials & Methods:
Iron-doped apatite was heterogeneously nucleated on the self-assembling Alg matrix by a bioinspired mineralization process and MHNs are formed by a subsequent emulsification by oil-in-water technique.
Results:
The obtained MHNs exhibited biomimetic composition, adequate swelling properties in physiological-like environment and superparamagnetic properties. The assembling of Alg induced the egg-like rearrangement of the mineralized composite that was then stabilized through cross-linking reaction with calcium ions.
Conclusion:
The new MHNs can be considered as a promising biocompatible and bio-resorbable drug delivery system with magnetic properties, thus opening to smart applications in nanomedicine.
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