Quantum Dots in Photodynamic Therapy

Abstract

Since the first applications of nanostructured semiconductor materials in heterogeneous photocatalysis in the 1980s, their unique optical and electrical properties have open up several research fields. These semiconductor nanoparticles were denomi-nated "quantum dots" (QDs) when their optical and electrical properties could be controlled by the dimensions of the nanocrystals. Soon, their unique properties attracted scientists at the biomedical and health interfaces and the first accomplishments of these QDs included the concept of a new class of fluorescent labels. A deeper knowledge of the preparation, stabilization, and characterization of these systems allowed their recent applications in Photodynamic Therapy. Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a well-established clinical treatment modality for various diseases , including especially malign tumors (e.g., melanoma, and esophagus and bladder cancers) and antimicrobial inactivation. This treatment is based on the administration of a photosensitizer, which