Nanoparticles as a technology platform for biomedical imaging

Abstract

From their humble beginnings by adding color to ceramics and human skin, engineering of nanoparticles has become increasingly sophisticated for the production of highly versatile constructs that improve the sensitivity and specificity of biomedical imaging. Conjugation of targeting moieties, as well as the potential to release drugs, adds to their functionality and positions nanoparticles as a key technology platform to integrate diagnosis and treatment into a single procedure. These advances aim to identify disease at the earliest stages of development, when therapeutic intervention is most successful, and to release targeted drugs in response to specific molecular pathologies. However, the implementation of an adequate regulatory system that addresses clinical guidelines including the administration route, dose, and potential nanoparticle toxicity is urgently needed to exploit the full potential of novel engineered nanoparticles.