Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 7, 2025
09:02
Author Spotlight: Innovative Cancer Therapies with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Glioblastoma Treatment
Published on: September 27, 2024
2.8K
Functionalized Nanomaterials as Tailored Theranostic Agents in Brain Imaging
Ramar Thangam1,2, Ramasamy Paulmurugan3,4, Heemin Kang1,2,5
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea.
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 11, 2022
Summary
Engineered nanomaterials offer promising solutions for brain cancer theranostics, overcoming barriers to drug delivery and enabling advanced imaging. Future research focuses on zero-toxicity, biodegradable nanoparticles for personalized brain disease management.
Area of Science:
- Nanomedicine and Biomedical Engineering
- Cancer Theranostics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Functionalized nanomaterials are crucial for brain cancer theranostics but face challenges like toxicity and poor barrier penetration.
- Metal nanomaterials with fluorescent tags offer enhanced properties like SPR, superparamagnetism, and luminescence for improved imaging and delivery.
- Current limitations hinder clinical translation, necessitating advancements in nanomaterial design and targeting strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the emerging aspects of engineered nanomaterials for brain drug delivery and theranostics.
- To highlight the role of imaging modalities in enhancing the efficacy of brain-targeted nanomaterials.
- To discuss the critical requirement of zero toxicity for translational applications in brain diseases.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on functionalized nanomaterials for brain diseases.
- Analysis of metal nanomaterials' properties, including SPR, superparamagnetism, and luminescence.
- Exploration of chemical modifications for attaching targeting peptides, fluorophores, and quantum dots.
- Evaluation of various imaging modalities (CT, MRI, PAI, X-ray) for theranostic applications.
Main Results:
- Multifunctional nanomaterials can be synthesized with enhanced properties for imaging and drug delivery.
- Targeting peptides, fluorophores, and quantum dots improve nanoparticle functionality and brain targeting.
- Nanoparticles offer inherent contrast properties for CT, MRI, PAI, and X-ray imaging.
- Biodegradable, multifunctional nanoparticles enable personalized theranostics with diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities.
Conclusions:
- Engineered nanomaterials show significant potential for overcoming brain barriers and delivering therapeutics.
- Integrating advanced imaging modalities with nanomaterials is key to improving theranostic efficacy.
- Zero toxicity and biodegradability are paramount for the successful clinical translation of nanotheranostics for brain diseases.
