Cover
Volume 1, Issue 1 (2026) – 6 articles
Cover Picture: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are the fundamental drivers of tumor metastasis, recurrence, and therapeutic resistance. They heavily rely on intricate redox homeostasis, metabolic plasticity, and specialized microenvironmental niches to maintain their stemness. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advancements in stimuli-responsive nanomaterials designed for modulating CSCs for enhanced therapeutic outcomes. Focusing on the unique biological hallmarks of CSCs, including dynamic metabolic reprogramming, a profound antioxidant defense system, and characteristic niches, we first elucidate the rational design of nanomaterials responsive to endogenous tumor microenvironment triggers and exogenous physical fields and then highlight how these smart nanoplatforms, synergized, precisely modulate cellular behaviors and stemness maintenance. Finally, we discuss pivotal translational challenges, emphasizing the urgent need for the real-time monitoring of CSCs and establishing biomimetic organoid models for the systemic interception of intercellular communications. This review provides a structural roadmap for developing next-generation multimodal nanotechnologies to achieve efficient CSC modulation and anti-tumor treatment.
