Biomedical applications of inorganic nanoparticles

In the last two decades, a large number of nanoscale and nanostructure-based therapeutic and diagnostic agents have been developed, not only for cancer treatment but also for its prevention and diagnosis. Targeted cancer, hyperthermia, photodynamic and gene therapies are just some of the cancer treatments that use engineered nanomaterials. These therapies can be used in isolation or in combination with other cancer treatments, thereby taking advantage of their ability to target tumors (actively or passively), to respond to physical or chemical stimulation (internal or external) and to deliver therapeutic genes to the cell nuclei. The main objective of nanomaterials in cancer treatment is to deliver a therapeutic moiety to tumor cells in a controlled manner (depending on the required pharmacokinetic) while minimizing side effects and preventing drug resistance. Nanoscale and nanostructured materials may also be used in diagnosis to detect and prevent pathologies as soon as possible, ideally being able to sense cancer cells and associated biomarkers. With conventional methods of drug administration it is often difficult to control the rate of drug release, or the dose received at non-target locations. Because of this, drug delivery systems based on nanoparticles are being actively investigated as a way to increase the efficiency and selectivity of therapeutic efforts. Especially promising are nanoparticle systems where the rate of drug release can be controlled by means of external stimuli. In this speech we will discuss different applications of nanoparticulated materials in drug and gene delivery and we will point out the clear advantages of ordered porous materials for the controlled drug release. L25.2