6 Concluding Remarks
In order to successfully prepare and functionalize nanomaterials for a given biomedical application, a wide range of physical, chemical, biological, and physiological
factors and conditions must be taken into account. Strategies for synthesis of
functional nanomaterial provide excellent properties. Because these nanomaterials
also allow internal and external surfaces to display disparate functional groups,
template-synthesized materials are very attractive starting points for drug delivery
vehicles, bioimaging, biolabeling, etc. Several key advances have recently been
made that bring this goal closer to reality. Functional nanomaterials can now be
utilized from a much broader range of materials that include biocompatible
and biodegradable materials such as amino acids, polymers, DNA, chitosan,
and alginate. This chapter has focused especially on chitosan-based functional
nanomaterials as a current developing interest. In the near future, these advances
will be combined for drug-delivery, bioimaging, and other studies in cell culture and,
more importantly, in whole species.
Acknowledgments The authors gratefully acknowledged the financial assistance from University Grants Commission and CSIR, New Delhi in the form of major research projects.
References
1. Nalwa HS (ed) (2004) Encyclopedia of nanoscience and nanotechnology. American Scientific Publishers, New York
2. Torchilin VP (2006) Multifunctional nanocarriers. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 58:1532–1555
3. Brettreich M, Burghardt S, Bottcher C, Bayerl T, Bayerl S, Hirsch A (2000) Globular
amphiphiles: membrane-forming hexaadducts of C60. Angew Chem Int Ed 39:1845–1848
4. Burghardt S, Hirsch A, Schade B, Ludwig K, Bottcher C (2005) Switchable supramolecular
organization of structurally defined micelles based on an amphiphilic fullerene. Angew Chem
Int Ed 44:2976–2979
5. Klumpp C, Kostarelos K, Prato M, Bianco A (2006) Functionalized carbon nanotubes as
emerging nanovectors for the delivery of therapeutics. Biochim Biophys Acta 1758:404–412
6. He X, Wu X, Cai X, Lin S, Xie M, Zhu X, Yan D (2012) Functionalization of magnetic
nanoparticles with dendritic–linear–brush-like triblock copolymers and their drug release
properties. Langmuir 28:11929–11938
7. Nishiyama N, Kataoka K (2006) Current state, achievements, and future prospects of
polymeric micelles as nanocarriers for drug and gene delivery. Pharmacol Ther 112:630–648
8. Villalonga-Barber C, Micha-Screttas M, Steele BR, Georgopoulos A, Demetzos C (2008)
Dendrimers as biopharmaceuticals: synthesis and properties. Curr Top Med Chem
8:1294–1309
9. Lal S, Clare SE, Halas NJ (2008) Nanoshell-enabled photothermal cancer therapy: impending
clinical impact. Acc Chem Res 41:1842–1851
10. Barratt G (2003) Colloidal drug carriers: achievements and perspectives. Cell Mol Life Sci
60:21–37
11. Eaton M (2007) Nanomedicine: industry-wise research. Nat Mater 6:251–253
40
P. Dutta et al.
In order to successfully prepare and functionalize nanomaterials for a given biomedical application, a wide range of physical, chemical, biological, and physiological
factors and conditions must be taken into account. Strategies for synthesis of
functional nanomaterial provide excellent properties. Because these nanomaterials
also allow internal and external surfaces to display disparate functional groups,
template-synthesized materials are very attractive starting points for drug delivery
vehicles, bioimaging, biolabeling, etc. Several key advances have recently been
made that bring this goal closer to reality. Functional nanomaterials can now be
utilized from a much broader range of materials that include biocompatible
and biodegradable materials such as amino acids, polymers, DNA, chitosan,
and alginate. This chapter has focused especially on chitosan-based functional
nanomaterials as a current developing interest. In the near future, these advances
will be combined for drug-delivery, bioimaging, and other studies in cell culture and,
more importantly, in whole species.
Acknowledgments The authors gratefully acknowledged the financial assistance from University Grants Commission and CSIR, New Delhi in the form of major research projects.
References
1. Nalwa HS (ed) (2004) Encyclopedia of nanoscience and nanotechnology. American Scientific Publishers, New York
2. Torchilin VP (2006) Multifunctional nanocarriers. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 58:1532–1555
3. Brettreich M, Burghardt S, Bottcher C, Bayerl T, Bayerl S, Hirsch A (2000) Globular
amphiphiles: membrane-forming hexaadducts of C60. Angew Chem Int Ed 39:1845–1848
4. Burghardt S, Hirsch A, Schade B, Ludwig K, Bottcher C (2005) Switchable supramolecular
organization of structurally defined micelles based on an amphiphilic fullerene. Angew Chem
Int Ed 44:2976–2979
5. Klumpp C, Kostarelos K, Prato M, Bianco A (2006) Functionalized carbon nanotubes as
emerging nanovectors for the delivery of therapeutics. Biochim Biophys Acta 1758:404–412
6. He X, Wu X, Cai X, Lin S, Xie M, Zhu X, Yan D (2012) Functionalization of magnetic
nanoparticles with dendritic–linear–brush-like triblock copolymers and their drug release
properties. Langmuir 28:11929–11938
7. Nishiyama N, Kataoka K (2006) Current state, achievements, and future prospects of
polymeric micelles as nanocarriers for drug and gene delivery. Pharmacol Ther 112:630–648
8. Villalonga-Barber C, Micha-Screttas M, Steele BR, Georgopoulos A, Demetzos C (2008)
Dendrimers as biopharmaceuticals: synthesis and properties. Curr Top Med Chem
8:1294–1309
9. Lal S, Clare SE, Halas NJ (2008) Nanoshell-enabled photothermal cancer therapy: impending
clinical impact. Acc Chem Res 41:1842–1851
10. Barratt G (2003) Colloidal drug carriers: achievements and perspectives. Cell Mol Life Sci
60:21–37
11. Eaton M (2007) Nanomedicine: industry-wise research. Nat Mater 6:251–253
40
P. Dutta et al.