Research progress on radioactive quantum dots for biomedical applications

With the rapid development of precision oncology, how to achieve high-definition imaging of deep tissues and metastatic tumours and achieve effective combined treatment has become the core challenge in this field. Traditional optical probes have the limitation of insufficient tissue penetration depth, while a single radioactive isotope has limited functionality. RQDs, as a new type of nanohybrid material, provide a breakthrough solution to this problem by integrating the unique optical properties of QDs with the radioactivity of radioactive isotopes.

Recently, a research team led by Professors Jiatao Zhang and Xiaoling Zhang from Beijing Institute of Technology, alongside Professor Jiehua Xu from Zhuhai People’s Hospital, systematically reviewed and projected the research progress and future potential of RQDs in the biomedical field, particularly in tumour imaging and therapy. This review aims to provide valuable guidance for scholars engaged in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of medicine and engineering.

The team published their review in Nano Research on December 1, 2025.

“In this review, we systematically elucidate the synthesis strategies for RQDs and their applications in tumour imaging and therapy. The core principle lies in harnessing the decay energy of radionuclides to achieve self-excited luminescence in QDs, thereby overcoming the physical barrier of external light penetration through tissue. This approach simultaneously endows the diagnostic and therapeutic system with capabilities for multimodal imaging and synergistic treatment.” stated Professor Jiatao Zhang, the paper’s corresponding author. Professor Jiatao Zhang serves as Dean of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Beijing Institute of Technology. He additionally holds the position of Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Director of the Beijing Key Laboratory of Structure-Controllable Advanced Functional Materials and Green Applications, and Ministry of Science and Technology Ten Thousand Leading Talent.

RQDs are constructed by labelling QDs with radioactive nuclides such as ⁶⁴Cu or ⁸⁹Zr. This unique property enables them to generate Cerenkov resonance energy transfer (CRET) luminescence without requiring external light excitation, thereby achieving self-illuminating imaging of deep tissues. Concurrently, they can integrate photothermal and other characteristics to achieve integrated tumour diagnosis and treatment.

The research team conducted a detailed comparative analysis of various RQDs synthesis strategies, including cation exchange, one-pot methods and others. Some approaches achieved stable nuclide doping within the crystal lattice, circumventing the common ‘delabelling’ issue in conventional radiolabelling techniques and significantly enhancing in vivo stability and safety. “For instance, ⁶⁴Cu-doped QDs synthesised via cation exchange retain exceptionally high radiochemical purity even after 48 hours of incubation in blood,” Professor Xiaoling Zhang added.

In tumour imaging, RQDs demonstrate significant advantages over conventional methods. They integrate highly sensitive radionuclide imaging (such as PET) with high-resolution imaging (CT or MRI), enabling precise visualisation of tumour location, boundaries, and metabolic status. “This is akin to possessing both ‘whole-body satellite positioning’ and ‘local high-definition microscopy’ capabilities simultaneously,” Professor Jiehua Xu aptly likened. “Particularly for deep-seated micro-lesions or metastatic foci, this multimodal imaging strategy delivers more comprehensive and reliable diagnostic information, providing crucial evidence for subsequent treatment planning.”

Beyond imaging applications, the therapeutic potential of RQDs is equally substantial. For instance, ⁶⁴CuS has been successfully employed in tumour photothermal therapy guided by PET/CT imaging, demonstrating significant tumour suppression effects in animal models. This integrated diagnostic and therapeutic approach provides a powerful tool for achieving personalised precision medicine.

Despite the promising prospects, researchers have also highlighted challenges facing the field, including long-term biosafety, delivery efficiency within complex tumour microenvironments, and pathways for clinical translation. “Future research will focus on developing heavy-metal-free QDs carriers, intelligent responsive radiodiagnostic systems, and leveraging artificial intelligence to accelerate the screening and design of novel radiopharmaceuticals,” Professor Jiehua Xu envisaged. “Our objective is to advance radiopharmaceutical QDs from the laboratory to clinical practice, ultimately delivering more precise and effective diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for cancer patients.”

Other contributors include Zhao Li, Jiefei Sui, Qiong Jin, Aili Ma, Shisong Han, Xiaoling Zhang from Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhuhai, as well as Professor Xu Jiehua from Zhuhai People’s Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University.

This work acknowledges the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 52272186, 22174008) and Zhuhai People’s Hospital (2021KYQD-03).

DOI Link:

https://doi.org/10.26599/NR.2025.94908298

About Nano Research

Nano Research is a peer-reviewed, open access, international and interdisciplinary research journal, sponsored by Tsinghua University and the Chinese Chemical Society, published by Tsinghua University Press on the platform SciOpen. It publishes original high-quality research and significant review articles on all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, ranging from basic aspects of the science of nanoscale materials to practical applications of such materials. After 18 years of development, it has become one of the most influential academic journals in the nano field. Nano Research has published more than 1,000 papers every year from 2022, with its cumulative count surpassing 8,000 articles. In 2025 InCites Journal Citation Reports, its 2025 IF is 9.4 (8.3, 5 years), and it continues to be the Q1 area among the four subject classifications. Nano Research Award, established by Nano Research together with TUP and Springer Nature in 2013, and Nano Research Young Innovators (NR45) Awards, established by Nano Research in 2018, have become international academic awards with global influence.