The design and use of materials in the nanoscale size range for addressing medical and health-related issues continues to receive increasing interest. Research in nanomedicine spans a multitude of areas, including drug delivery, vaccine development, antibacterial, diagnosis and imaging tools, wearable devices, implants, high-throughput screening platforms, etc. using biological, nonbiological, biomimetic, or hybrid materials. Many of these developments are starting to be translated into viable clinical products. Here, we provide an overview of recent developments in nanomedicine and highlight the current challenges and upcoming opportunities for the field and translation to the clinic.

Laser mediated remote release of encapsulated fluorescently labeled polymers from nanoengineered polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules containing gold sulfide core/gold shell nanoparticles in their walls is observed in real time on a single capsule level. We have developed a method for measuring the temperature increase and have quantitatively investigated the influence of absorption, size, and surface density of metal nanoparticles using an analytical model. Experimental measurements and numerical simulations agree with the model. The treatment presented in this work is of general nature, and it is applicable to any system where nanoparticles are used as absorbing centers. Potential biomedical applications are highlighted.

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