Chapter 11 – Nanotechnology in Clinical and Translational Research

Nanomaterials are new platforms for therapeutics and imaging agents. The focus of this chapter is how nanotechnology might impact clinical and translational research. It focuses on examples of nanotechnology that might involve things as scaffolds for therapeutic molecules and imaging agents and on the use of nanoparticles for drug delivery. The ability of nanoparticles to combine therapeutic delivery with imaging and quantitation of therapeutic effects will open unique opportunities in therapeutic development. The use of nanoparticles in diagnostics will also allow the quantitation of therapeutic effect in ways not achieved with current diagnostic assays. These both approaches give insights into the potential breakthroughs in clinical research that might be accomplished with nanoparticles.