Engineering Multifunctional Nanomedicine Platforms for Drug Delivery and Imaging

Due to their highly modifiable surface characteristics and favorable surface area, particles in the nano-dimension have increased the targeting efficiency of many cytotoxic drugs used for cancer treatment and have vastly improved common imaging techniques. When compared to traditional therapy, nanoparticles have shown lower rates of cytotoxicity, higher therapeutic indices, and higher biocompatibility results. Thus, nanomedicine platforms are crucial for the development of more targeted, effective, and multifunctional therapies. This chapter focuses on an overview of multifunctional nanomedicines, their architecture, and possible challenges associated with increasing functionalities. Also highlighted is the state of multifunctional nanoparticles, including liposomes, dendrimers, gold platforms, and nanodiamonds, used for cancer applications. Liposomes have transitioned into clinic as a delivery vehicle for both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs; dendrimers enable simultaneous loading of drugs, imaging, and targeting agents in parallel; gold nanoparticles possess several intrinsic properties that allow for improved imaging and photothermal tumor ablation when used in conjunction with other drugs, imaging, and targeting agents; and nanodiamonds can mediate targeted release of cytotoxic drugs, promote effective therapeutic transport through the host, and reduce off-target toxicity. Independent advances in each nanoplatform may enable the future development of combinatorial nanomedicine that can be globally optimized using powerful artificial intelligence platforms.