Nanotechnology to Break the Antimicrobial Resistance

The global rise in antibiotic resistance has become a major public health concern, driving an urgent demand for new therapeutic strategies to manage infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. Nanomaterials have therefore attracted significant interest as potential alternatives or adjuvants to conventional antibiotics, owing to their tunable physicochemical properties and their ability to act through mechanisms distinct from those of classical drugs. In this review, we focus on surface-modified nanomaterials and metal-organic cages and examine how parameters such as size, charge, surface chemistry, and structural organization influence antibacterial and antibiofilm performance. By integrating mechanistic insights with biological context, this review highlights the factors that govern efficacy in complex infection environments and the translational challenges that must be addressed for practical application. Collectively, this article provides a framework for understanding how nanomaterial design can be leveraged to develop more effective antimicrobial strategies.