Nanomedicine

Nanomaterials, owing to their exceptional properties arising at the nanoscale, have attracted significant attention from both the scientific community and industry over the past few decades. Their applications in nanomedicine, spanning diagnostics to therapeutics, necessitate the systematic establishment of structure–property relationships linked to synthesis conditions. Furthermore, a comprehensive understanding of nanomaterial formation mechanisms is essential for controlling reaction parameters that govern the resulting physicochemical properties.

To develop nanomaterials for applications in biosensing, diagnostics, drug delivery, and bioimaging, research in this area focuses on the synthesis, characterisation, and functionalisation of nanomaterials to achieve a fundamental understanding of growth mechanisms through both experimental investigations and molecular modelling. The work encompasses the design of metallic nanomaterials, including plasmonic and magnetic systems, as well as polymer-based nanomaterials, synthesised via batch, semi-batch, and continuous processes, to precisely control their physicochemical properties.

A notable outcome of this research is the development of a magnetic nanoparticle-based COVID-19 diagnostic platform in 2020, which has further strengthened ongoing efforts in clinical diagnostics. Overall, the research aims to develop nanomaterials through iterative design strategies, optimised for specific theranostic applications.