The Beilstein Nanotechnology Symposium “Translational Trends in Nanomedicine” took place at a beautiful “hunters castle” surrounded by forests with an ecstatic view of the Rhein valley. The highlight of the conference was its small size, enabling fruitful scientific discussions and one-to-one interactions in a stimulating environment. The speakers collectively provided an excellent overview on the use of nanomaterials for advancements in the field of drug delivery, bio-imaging, anti-viral therapeutics, and regenerative medicine. The talks were broadly categorized into three topics: (i) the use of nanoparticles for targeted delivery and imaging, (ii) hybrid materials for nanomedicine and regenerative medicine, and (iii) peptide assemblies and their mimicries as biomaterials. The conference was structured such that the use of nanomaterials for in vivo applications to their supramolecular assemblies as materials was chronologically covered. Certain challenging uses of nanomaterials, for example, the use of nanoparticles for brain targeting, their interaction with cells, using nanoneedles to understand cell–surface interactions, and nanostraws for direct cell delivery were highlighted. Furthermore, a few talks focused on the use of novel nanosystems for tackling viral infections/diseases, for which a cure remains inaccessible for the larger part. In addition, emphasis was laid on translational aspects of nanomedicine, i.e., transferring research from laboratory to the clinics, giving a realistic perspective to the ongoing research in the field of nanomedicine.

From nanomaterials to peptide assemblies, important considerations with respect to their cellular interactions and in turn their toxic effects were presented. An insight into the biological activity relationship of rare earth oxides that are used for bioimaging was an interesting perspective for all researchers as it concerns most work done in the field of nanotoxicity.

Apart from the scientific talks, an excellent poster session covered a range of topics from the design of nanomaterials such as nanoneedles and nanoparticles, to their applications in cell transfection and for nanomedicine, respectively. This interactive session was the perfect platform for young researchers to engage with their peers and professors for initiating collaborations and developing further ideas for their research. Taking full advantage of the beautiful venue, we enjoyed a pleasant hiking trip through the vineyards tasting authentic wine from the region.

In a nutshell, the symposium on “Translational Trends in Nanomedicine” was a rewarding experience in terms of research excellence, scientific discussions, selected group of participants, outstanding location, and a wonderful and engaging atmosphere!

No. 1:
Exploring new nanoneedle techniques for enhanced cell transfection
Michele Becce / Imperial College London

No. 2:
Protein-mediated synthesis of anisotropic nanoparticles and their application as ROS scavengers
Mustafa ElGharib / University of Hamburg

No. 3:
The use of 3D cell models to investigate nanomedicine uptake and imaging thereof
Malou Henriksen-Lacey / CIC biomaGUNE

No. 4:
Virucidal nanomaterials targeting influenza virus
Özgün Kocabıyık / EPFL

No. 5:
Detection of metabolic interactions in the tumour environment by surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering
Javier Plou / CIC biomaGUNE

No. 6:
Fabrication of functional nanostructured materials for patterned
bio-immobilization
Divya Varadharajan / Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

No. 7:
Towards controlled polymer brushes for nanomedicine
Gowthamy Venkidasubramonian / Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

No. 8:
Integrity of dye conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles in presence of different enzymes
Lin Zhu / University of Hamburg