Progress of Nanobiomaterials for Theranostic Systems

Since its conception, nanotechnology has gained substantial momentum and transformed nearly every fi eld of science and technology. In the fi eld of nanomedicine, a variety of nanobiomaterials have been developed as unique platforms to detect and deliver therapeutic agents in the treatment ofl ife-threatening diseases.A brief review of recent publications reveals that these therapeutic platforms can be nanoparticles, micelles, nanogels, liposomes, metallic nanoparticles and semiconductor derived quantum dots. When compared to traditional therapeutic systems, theranostic nanomedicine is an emergingfi eld that employs a multifunctional approach to specifi cally target, diagnose and deliver therapeutic agents using a single platform to treat diseases such as cancers. This chapter will focus on the recent progress of nanobiomaterialstoward theranostic nanomedicine fortackling unmet clinical problems.