Patchy polymeric particles have anisotropic surface domains that can be remarkably useful in diverse medical and industrial fields because of their ability to simultaneously present two different surface chemistries on the same construct. In this article, we report the mechanisms involved in the formation of novel lipid-polymeric hollow patchy particles during their synthesis. By cross-sectioning the patchy particles, we found that a phase segregation phenomenon occurs between the core, shell, and patch. Importantly, we found that the shear stress that the polymer blend undergoes during the particle synthesis is the most important parameter for the formation of these patchy particles. In addition, we found that the interplay of solvent-solvent, polymer-solvent, and polymer-polymer-solvent interactions generates particles with different surface morphologies. Understanding the mechanisms involved in the formation of patchy particles allows us to have a better control on their physicochemical properties. Therefore, these fundamental studies are critical to achieve batch control and scalability, which are essential aspects that must be addressed in any type of particle synthesis to be safely used in medicine.

On the cusp of widespread permeation of nanomedicine, academia, industry, and government have invested substantial financial resources in developing new ways to better treat diseases. Materials have unique physical and chemical properties at the nanoscale compared with their bulk or small-molecule analogs. These unique properties have been greatly advantageous in providing innovative solutions for medical treatments at the bench level. However, nanomedicine research has not yet fully permeated the clinical setting because of several limitations. Among these limitations are the lack of universal standards for characterizing nanomaterials and the limited knowledge that we possess regarding the interactions between nanomaterials and biological entities such as proteins. In this review, we report on recent developments in the characterization of nanomaterials as well as the newest information about the interactions between nanomaterials and proteins in the human body. We propose a standard set of techniques for universal characterization of nanomaterials. We also address relevant regulatory issues involved in the translational process for the development of drug molecules and drug delivery systems. Adherence and refinement of a universal standard in nanomaterial characterization as well as the acquisition of a deeper understanding of nanomaterials and proteins will likely accelerate the use of nanomedicine in common practice to a great extent.