Open AccessBiomedical Applications of Quantum Dots: Overview, Challenges, and Clinical Potential
Author(s) -
Ahmed A. H. Abdellatif,
Mahmoud A. Younis,
Mansour Alsharidah,
Osamah Al Rugaie,
Hesham M. Tawfeek
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
international journal of nanomedicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.245
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1178-2013
pISSN - 1176-9114
DOI - 10.2147/ijn.s357980
Subject(s) - nanotechnology , quantum dot , clinical trial , limiting , nanomedicine , characterization (materials science) , computer science , medical physics , medicine , materials science , nanoparticle , pathology , engineering , mechanical engineering
Despite the massive advancements in the nanomedicines and their associated research, their translation into clinically-applicable products is still below promises. The latter fact necessitates an in-depth evaluation of the current nanomedicines from a clinical perspective to cope with the challenges hampering their clinical potential. Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductors-based nanomaterials with numerous biomedical applications such as drug delivery, live imaging, and medical diagnosis, in addition to other applications beyond medicine such as in solar cells. Nevertheless, the power of QDs is still underestimated in clinics. In the current article, we review the status of QDs in literature, their preparation, characterization, and biomedical applications. In addition, the market status and the ongoing clinical trials recruiting QDs are highlighted, with a special focus on the challenges limiting the clinical translation of QDs. Moreover, QDs are technically compared to other commercially-available substitutes. Eventually, we inspire the technical aspects that should be considered to improve the clinical fate of QDs.