Porous silicon nanoparticles for nanomedicine: preparation and biomedical applications

: Hélder A. Santos, Ermei Mäkilä, Anu J. Airaksinen, Luis M. Bimbo, Jouni Hirvonen

: 2014

: Nanomedicine

: 9

: 4

: 535

: 554

: 20

: 1743-5889

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2217/NNM.13.223

The research on porous silicon (PSi) materials for biomedical applications has
expanded greatly since the early studies of Leigh Canham more than 25 years ago.
Currently, PSi nanoparticles are receiving growing attention from the scientific
biomedical community. These nanostructured materials have emerged as promising
multifunctional and versatile platforms for nanomedicine in drug delivery,
diagnostics and therapy. The outstanding properties of PSi, including excellent in
vivo biocompatibility and biodegradability, have led to many applications of PSi for
delivery of therapeutic agents. In this review, we highlight current advances and
recent efforts on PSi nanoparticles regarding the production properties, efficient
drug delivery, multidrug delivery, permeation across biological barriers, biosafety
and in vivo tracking for biomedical applications. The constant boost on successful
preclinical in vivo data reported so far makes this the ‘golden age’ for PSi, which is
expected to finally be translated into the clinic in the near future.
The research on porous silicon (PSi) materials for biomedical applications has
expanded greatly since the early studies of Leigh Canham more than 25 years ago.
Currently, PSi nanoparticles are receiving growing attention from the scientific
biomedical community. These nanostructured materials have emerged as promising
multifunctional and versatile platforms for nanomedicine in drug delivery,
diagnostics and therapy. The outstanding properties of PSi, including excellent in
vivo biocompatibility and biodegradability, have led to many applications of PSi for
delivery of therapeutic agents. In this review, we highlight current advances and
recent efforts on PSi nanoparticles regarding the production properties, efficient
drug delivery, multidrug delivery, permeation across biological barriers, biosafety
and in vivo tracking for biomedical applications. The constant boost on successful
preclinical in vivo data reported so far makes this the ‘golden age’ for PSi, which is
expected to finally be translated into the clinic in the near future.