Chapter 11 - Magnetic nanoparticles: drug delivery and bioimaging applications

Abstract

The applications of nanotechnology in different fields of medical science have revolutionized the healthcare sector for the diagnosis and treatment of several lethal diseases including cancer. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are one of the most used nanomaterials in disease diagnosis, targeted drug delivery, and biomedical imaging, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The unparalleled magnetic properties of the MNPs assigned certain characteristic features such as they can be used at the cellular and molecular level in a biological system and are also suitable materials to be used in drug delivery and MRI. The MNPs are in the front line, providing an attractive platform as alternative agents, as carriers in drug delivery and MRI. To better address the specific biomedical needs, MNPs with higher magnetic moments, specific size and surfaces, with enhanced functionalities, have great applications in the detection, diagnosis, targeted drug delivery, and treatment of different diseases such as cardiovascular disease, different types of malignant tumors, and neurological ailments. To date, various types of MNPs have been designed and synthesized according to their applications in detection of diseases, targeted drug delivery to various disease sites and different body parts, monitoring drug delivery, and also disease treatment. This chapter will provide an insight view of the design, synthesis, and applications of MNPs in disease diagnosis, targeted drug delivery, and MRI.