In 2007, our group provided the first evidence that inert ferromagnetic nanoparticles have intrinsic peroxidase-like activity [Nature Nanotechnology, 2 (9) (2007), 577-83], which quickly aroused attention in nano-research and biology. This discovery has changed the idea that nanomaterials are chemically inert in biological systems, and directly led to the notion that nanomaterials are bioactive and the new concept of “Nanozyme” (Biophysical Nouns).

Since then, our group has taken great interest in the potential wide variety of applications of nanozymes such as biomedical detection and environmental analysis as followed.

Diseases and Toxin Detection

Using the catalytic activity and superparamagnetism of nanozyme, we established a new type of enzyme-linked immune detection method, to realize rapid detection of Ricin toxin[Toxicon, ,55(1) (2010),145-52]. Facing the rapid spread of Ebola, we applied MNPs as a nanozyme probe in place of colloidal gold nanoparticles to generate a Nanozyme-strip test, owing to the two properties of nanozyme given above, this novel probe obtain three functions: capture, separation and detection. Thus it is 100-1000 fold more sensitive than the standard strip method[Biosensors and Bioelectronic，74(5)（2015） ,134-141].

Nanozyme-strip design

Diagnosis and Treatment of Tumor

First,we have recombinanted human heavy-chain ferritin protein shell, which can binds to tumour cells that overexpress transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1),using this ferritin, we made a novel nano tumor diagnostic reagents——magnetoferritin nanoparticles (M-HFn) ，it can be used to target and visualize tumour tissues without the use of any targeting ligands or contrast agent with a sensitivity of 98% and specificity of 95%[Nature Nanotechnology, 7(7) (2012), 459-64].In 2016, we developed strategically engineered magnetoferritin nanoprobes via a novel tumor-specific HFn-TfR1 pathway, which can image tumors with simultaneous usage of SPECT and MRI[ACS Nano，10(4) (2016)，4184-91]. For the treatment of tumor, we showed that H-ferritin–nanocaged doxorubicin nanoparticles specifically target and kill tumors Magnetoferritin nanoparticles with a single-dose injection [PNAS, 111(41) (2014),14900-5].

Magnetoferritin nanoparticles	A novel nanocarrier for drug delivery

Bioengineered magnetoferritin nanoprobes

Unmarked Tracer in vivo

In 2012,we used the MNPs-peroxidase approach to detect MNPs in mice, this novel approach had higher sensitivity and avoided complex and costly label[Mol Pharm，9(7) (2012)，1983-9].

Environment Detection and Sewage Disposal

In the same time, we have used nanozyme in detection of acid rain, decomposing phenol[Chemosphere, 73(9)( 2008),1524-8] and rapid detection of organophosphorus pesticide and nerve agent[Anal Chem, 85(1)( 2012),308-12].

As a young field, there still remain many unknowns and challenges. Better fundamental understanding of the mechanism behind these phenomena is needed while how to improve the specificity and selectivity is another issue, in the future, more nanozymes will be explored and more applications for this new technology is still to come.