Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles for Photothermal and Photodynamic Therapy

The fabrication of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) has emerged as a novel phototherapy technique. Phototherapies, such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT), have shown excellent potential in overcoming the disadvantages of traditional methods of therapy. PDT and PTT have attracted significant attention for various types of cancers due to their minimal invasiveness. The PTT approach is based on hyperthermia generation, whereas laser irradiation employs a PDT approach to activate the photosensitizer. The lack of selectivity is a limitation of PDT that can be overcome by the combination of magnetic Fe 3 O 4 NPs along a photosensitizer. The drug can be released in a controlled manner from magnetic NPs and PTT. As new therapeutic regimens, PTT and PDT have the potential to inactivate pathogens for necrosis and tumor ablation. MNPs exhibit numerous distinctive properties that offer wide applications in diagnosis and therapy. Biomedical applications of MNPs include gene delivery, biosensing, drug delivery, hyperthermia, molecular imaging, and COVID-19 diagnosis.