Nanomaterials for Theranostics: the case of porous silicon

Nanomaterials for Theranostics: the case of porous silicon

Abstract Employing theranostic nanoparticles, which combine both therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities in one dose, has promise to propel the biomedical field toward personalized medicine. This presentation presents an overview of recent different theranostic strategies developed for the diagnosis and treatment of disease, with an emphasis on material. In conventional systems, different imaging probes, such as fluorescent markers, MRI contrast agents, and nuclear imaging agents, are decorated onto therapeutic agents or therapeutic delivery vehicles in order to facilitate their imaging and, in so doing, gain information about the trafficking pathway, kinetics of delivery, and therapeutic efficacy; several such strategies are outlined. However, in the last few years we tried to use an alternative system based on luminescent porous silicon. This creative approach being developed for therapies and imaging modalities are discussed, and the recent developments in this field along with examples of technologies that hold promise for the future of medicine are highlighted.