Commentary

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  • Cancer nanomedicines approved so far minimize toxicity, but their efficacy is often limited by physiological barriers posed by the tumour microenvironment. Here, we discuss how these barriers can be overcome through innovative nanomedicine design and through creative manipulation of the tumour microenvironment.

    • Vikash P. Chauhan
    • Rakesh K. Jain
    Commentary
  • For the case of water on supported graphene, about 30% of the van der Waals interactions between the water and the substrate are transmitted through the one-atom-thick layer.

    • Chih-Jen Shih
    • Michael S. Strano
    • Daniel Blankschtein
    Commentary
  • The challenge to link understanding and manipulation at the microscale to functional behaviour at the macroscale defines the frontiers of mesoscale science.

    • Sidney Yip
    • Michael P. Short
    Commentary
  • In spite of substantial progress over the past 35 years, underfunding and lack of evaluation are preventing Greek research and technology from reaching its true potential. A coordinated effort between government, academia and industry could lead to viable solutions to the current crisis.

    • Costas M. Soukoulis
    Commentary
  • Semiconducting quantum dots have been extensively investigated with the idea of using single spins for quantum computing. Whereas access to single electrons and their spins has become routine, the challenges posed by nuclear spins remain ever present.

    • Hugo Ribeiro
    • Guido Burkard
    Commentary
  • A comparison of the mechanical responses of (bio)polymer networks and shape-memory alloys to cyclic loading reveals strong phenomenological similarities resulting from strain-induced structural changes.

    • Kurt M. Schmoller
    • Andreas R. Bausch
    Commentary
  • Unique opportunities arise from exceptional points that coalesce states of an open system in synthetic photonic media, where delicately balanced complex dielectric functions produce unprecedented optical properties.

    • Xiaobo Yin
    • Xiang Zhang
    Commentary
  • The field of photonic crystals has become one of the most influential and wide-ranging realms of contemporary electromagnetics and optics, with numerous more opportunities on the horizon.

    • Sajeev John
    Commentary
  • An evolution from natural to highly engineered materials has drastically changed the way in which athletes train and compete. Thanks to challenging technological problems and unconventional commercialization pathways, universities can make a direct impact on the development of sporting goods.

    • Mike Caine
    • Kim Blair
    • Mike Vasquez
    Commentary
  • The optimal stimulation of tissue regeneration in bone, cartilage and spinal cord injuries involves a judicious selection of biomaterials with tailored chemical compositions, micro- and nanostructures, porosities and kinetic release properties for the delivery of relevant biologically active molecules.

    • Paul Ducheyne
    • Robert L. Mauck
    • Douglas H. Smith
    Commentary
  • System-level planning of theoretical and experimental efforts is increasingly important for the development of modern materials science.

    • Peidong Yang
    • Jean-Marie Tarascon
    Commentary
  • It is commonly presumed that the random displacements that particles undergo as a result of the thermal jiggling of the environment follow a normal, or Gaussian, distribution. However, non-Gaussian diffusion in soft materials is more prevalent than expected.

    • Bo Wang
    • James Kuo
    • Steve Granick
    Commentary
  • Memristors are dynamic electronic devices whose nanoscale realization has led to considerable research interest. However, their experimental history goes back two centuries.

    • Themistoklis Prodromakis
    • Christofer Toumazou
    • Leon Chua
    Commentary
  • The ability of spintronics to re-energize itself in directions that germinate new subfields has made it one of the most fertile grounds for basic research aimed at future applications. A brief overview of the connections between five emerging subfields suggests exciting things to come.

    • Jairo Sinova
    • Igor Žutić
    Commentary
  • Progress in controlling different ferroic orders such as ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity on the nanoscale could offer unprecedented possibilities for electronic applications.

    • Manuel Bibes
    Commentary
  • Strong competition and funding squeezes require scientists to look for ways to increase their profile and impact within and beyond the scientific community. Online tools and services can help them communicate and publicize their research more effectively.

    • Martin Fenner
    Commentary
  • For decades, solar-cell efficiencies have remained below the thermodynamic limits. However, new approaches to light management that systematically minimize thermodynamic losses will enable ultrahigh efficiencies previously considered impossible.

    • Albert Polman
    • Harry A. Atwater
    Commentary
  • Interfaces formed by transition-metal oxide materials offer a tremendous opportunity for fundamental as well as applied research. Yet, as exciting as these opportunities are, several challenges remain.

    • J. Chakhalian
    • A. J. Millis
    • J. Rondinelli
    Commentary
  • Seven years after isolation of the first graphene sheets, an analysis of the densely populated patent landscape around the two-dimensional material reveals striking differences between universities' patenting activities and illustrates the challenges of a fast-moving technology space.

    • Quentin Tannock
    Commentary
  • Combining the efforts of physicists, materials scientists, economists and resource-strategy researchers opens up an interdisciplinary route enabling the substitution of rare elements by more abundant ones, serving as a guideline for the development of novel materials.

    • S. Krohns
    • P. Lunkenheimer
    • A. Loidl
    Commentary