Polymer-level functionalization yields biologically active and traceable enzyme-powered nanobots

Ana Sousa – PhD Student, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa; Bruna Costa – Researcher, i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto; Joana Gomes – Assistant Researcher, i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto; Ana Magalhães – Researcher, i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto; Celso Reis – Researcher, i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto; Maria Pintado – Researcher, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa

Introduction: Enzyme-powered nanobots (NB) are increasingly explored for biomedical applications¹; however, most reported systems rely on post-synthetic surface functionalization of pre-formed nanoparticles, a strategy that often compromises functional integration, reproducibility, and biological performance². In the context of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), where oxidative stress and epithelial damage coexist, there is a need for fabrication strategies that enable, cargo delivery, enzymatic activity and imaging capability within a single, biologically compatible nanobot architecture.