Fig. 3. Development of peptide-based multifunctional nanostructures.

Peptides and peptide-based building blocks are designed or selected according to their physicochemical properties and biological functions. By optimizing these characteristics, the self-assembly and supramolecular behaviour (for example, size, shape, surface functional groups, stimuli responsiveness) and biological activities (for example, targeting, cell penetration, therapeutic effects) can be manipulated to achieve optimal performance. The next-generation peptide-based multifunctional nanomedicines will benefit from computationally assisted design, precisely controlled fabrication (for example, microfluidic platforms) and systematic biological data, as well as advanced screening techniques.