Modular Fabrication of Bioorthogonal Nanozymes for Biomedical Applications

The incorporation of transition metal catalysts (TMCs) into nanoscaffolds generates nanocatalysts that replicate key aspects of enzymatic behavior. The TMCs can access bioorthogonal chemistry unavailable to living systems. These bioorthogonal nanozymes can be employed as in situ "factories" for generating bioactive molecules where needed. The generation of effective bioorthogonal nanozymes requires co-engineering of the TMC and the nanometric scaffold. This review presents an overview of recent advances in the field of bioorthogonal nanozymes, focusing on modular design aspects of both nanomaterial and catalyst and how they synergistically work together for in situ uncaging of imaging and therapeutic agents. Bioorthogonal nanozymes facilitate in situ drug synthesis at disease sites through prodrug activation. This review investigates the role of nanomaterials in stabilizing and regulating transition metal catalysts (TMCs), emphasizing the modular design of nanomaterials and catalysts. It explores their synergistic engineering for efficient in situ uncaging of diagnostic and therapeutic agents.image