Metal-organic-frameworks for biomedical applications in drug delivery, and as MRI contrast agents

The metal-organic-frameworks (MOFs) materials are increasingly gaining attraction to utilise into biomedical applications. MOFs are playing a major role to harnessing dual or multiple modalities in therapeutics and diagnostics. MOFs are mostly devised for particular biomedical application by post-synthetic functionalization or modification using variety of polymers, bio-ligands, and silica coating processes. This article presents a brief overview of two particular areas of biomedical applications where a broad range of MOFs have been used: (1) variety of drug delivery including intracellular drug delivery systems using the MOFs-based carriers; and, (2) development of MOFs-based contrast agents for magnetic resonance image enhancement. Biocompatibility, bio-toxicity, tissue responses, cell viability, cellular uptakes, and, how the effects of size, shape, structural, and morphological properties of the MOFs impact on the utilities in drug delivery and as MRI contrast agents, are discussed. Perspectives, insights and critical reflections into a range of aspects, and future outlook are illustrated. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 1184-1194, 2017.