As a class of carbon-based
nanomaterials, carbon dots (CDs) have
attracted enormous attention because of their tunable optical and
physicochemical properties, such as absorptivity and photoluminescence
from ultraviolet to near-infrared, high photostability, biocompatibility,
and aqueous dispersity. These characteristics make CDs a promising
alternative photonic nanoagent to conventional fluorophores in disease
diagnosis, treatment, and healthcare managements. This review describes
the fundamental photophysical properties of CDs and highlights their
recent applications to bioimaging, photomedicine (e.g., photodynamic/photothermal therapies), biosensors,
and healthcare devices. We discuss current challenges and future prospects
of photonic CDs to give an insight into developing vibrant fields
of CD-based biomedicine and healthcare.