Modern medicine increasingly relies on targeted drug delivery systems to improve therapeutic outcomes while minimizing side effects. Conventional approaches often struggle to balance high drug loading with controlled release, a challenge that is particularly critical in cancer treatment where precise dosing can significantly impact patient safety and efficacy. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising candidates due to their exceptional porosity and tunable chemistry, enabling them to store large amounts of drugs. However, their highly open crystalline structures typically lead to rapid drug release, which can cause harmful reactions and reduce treatment effectiveness.
The DrugMOF project attempted to address this gap by exploring disordered MOFs, specifically zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), as drug delivery platforms. Unlike their crystalline counterparts, disordered MOFs exhibited smaller pores and irregular structures that slowed down drug release. The strategy was therefore to first load drugs into crystalline ZIFs for maximum capacity, then transform these materials into amorphous or glassy states through processes such as ball milling or melt-quenching. This order-to-disorder transition combined the benefits of high loading with controlled release, creating biocompatible materials tailored for long-term therapeutic applications.
The overall objectives were threefold: (1) Develop and characterize ZIF-based systems capable of transitioning between crystalline and amorphous states while maintaining structural integrity and biocompatibility; (2) Demonstrate controlled drug release from these systems using model compounds, supported by in vitro cytotoxicity studies to ensure safety; and (3) Advance knowledge transfer and researcher training, fostering expertise in interdisciplinary fields spanning materials science, chemistry, and biomedicine.
This work aligned with EU priorities on health innovation and advanced materials, contributing to strategic goals of improving patient care and reducing healthcare costs in the long term. By enabling precise, sustained drug delivery, the project addressed pressing societal needs in oncology and chronic disease management. Beyond healthcare, the insights gained strengthened Europe’s leadership in functional materials research, supporting industrial translation and future collaborations.
