Enhancing cell therapies from the outside in: Cell surface engineering using synthetic nanomaterials

[Display omitted] ► In this review, we will first summarize key methodologies used to manipulate the surface of living mammalian cells with synthetic material. ► We will then discuss the main challenges to overcome to stably modify cell surfaces and we will highlight how these cell modifications can be applied to enhance the therapeutic potential of cell products in clinic. ► Finally, we will outline future trends and perspectives of this relatively new and fast-developing discipline. Therapeutic treatments based on the injection of living cells are in clinical use and preclinical development for diseases ranging from cancer to cardiovascular disease to diabetes. To enhance the function of therapeutic cells, a variety of chemical and materials science strategies are being developed that engineer the surface of therapeutic cells with new molecules, artificial receptors, and multifunctional nanomaterials, synthetically endowing donor cells with new properties and functions. These approaches offer a powerful complement to traditional genetic engineering strategies for enhancing the function of living cells.