Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2010, 11(1), 154-163; doi:10.3390/ijms11010154
Editorial

Quantum Dots—From Synthesis to Applications in Biomedicine and Life Sciences

Gregor P.C. Drummen 1,2 email
1 Bio&Nano-Solutions, Helmutstr. 3A, D-40472, Düsseldorf, Germany 2 DNA Damage and Ageing Group, University of Duisburg-Essen Medical School, Hufelandstr. 55, D-45122, Essen, Germany
Received: 14 December 2009; in revised form: 30 December 2009 / Accepted: 5 January 2010 / Published: 12 January 2010
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantum Dots: From Synthesis to Applications in Biomedicine and Life Sciences)
PDF Full-text Download PDF Full-Text [365 KB, uploaded 12 January 2010 14:13 CET]
Abstract: Imagine devices or particles so small that they are invisible to the naked eye. Imagine that such entities could be used to patrol our bodies and autonomously augment endogenous defense and repair mechanisms. Imagine the defeat of illness at a fraction of the current costs. Bionanotechnology is the field of science that deals with just that: the development of imaging, tracking, targeting, sensing, diagnostic, and eventually therapeutic capabilities based on particles in the nanometer range, i.e., “nanoparticles”. Within the extensive group of nanoparticles, semiconducting quantum dots play a central and prominent role. Quantum dots excel at a myriad of physical properties, most notably their fluorescent properties, such as high quantum yield, photo-stability, broad absorption spectra, and their remarkable size-dependent emission-tunability.
Keywords: nanotechnology; nanomedicine; bionanotechnology; nanoparticle; quantum dot; fluorescence; flow cytometry; toxicity; imaging

Article Statistics

Click here to load and display the download statistics.

Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Drummen, G.P. Quantum Dots—From Synthesis to Applications in Biomedicine and Life Sciences. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2010, 11, 154-163.

AMA Style

Drummen GP. Quantum Dots—From Synthesis to Applications in Biomedicine and Life Sciences. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2010; 11(1):154-163.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Drummen, Gregor P. 2010. "Quantum Dots—From Synthesis to Applications in Biomedicine and Life Sciences." Int. J. Mol. Sci. 11, no. 1: 154-163.

Int. J. Mol. Sci. EISSN 1422-0067 Published by MDPI AG, Basel, Switzerland RSS E-Mail Table of Contents Alert