Modification of nanostructured materials for biomedical applications

Adaptation (or incorporation) of nanostructured materials into biomedical devices and systems has been of great interest in recent years. Through the modification of existing nanostructured materials one can control and tailor the properties of such materials in a predictable manner, and impart them with biological properties and functionalities to better suit their integration with biomedical systems. These modified nanostructured materials can bring new and unique capabilities to a variety of biomedical applications ranging from implant engineering and modulated drug delivery, to clinical biosensors and diagnostics. This review describes recent advances of nanostructured materials for biomedical applications. The methods and technologies used to modify nanostructured materials are summarized briefly, while several current interests in biomedical applications for modified and functionalized nanostructured materials are emphasized.