Carbon dots as a new class of nanomedicines: Opportunities and challenges

Abstract Precise nanomedicine has been extensively explored for efficient cancer imaging and targeted cancer therapy, as evidenced by a few breakthroughs in preclinical and clinical exploration. Carbon dots (CDs) are the newest member of carbon-based nanomaterials, which have aroused great interest in various fields, especially in nanomedicine. However, current knowledge on the research of CDs in nanomedicine is not comprehensive. This review provides concise insights into the recent development of CDs in nanomedicine research. The topics covered include preparation and functionalization processes, and a few critical applications are highlighted, such as antibacterial applications, chemotherapy, and therapeutics. Finally, the challenges and prospects of CDs-based nanomedicine research are discussed. This review intends to inform biomedical researchers to tap into the potential of CDs and overcome various existing technical challenges.