There are numerous uses of nanomagnetic particles in the biomedical arena. These range from magnetic sorting used to recognize cells by binding magnetic particles selectively to the desired type of cell and using a magnetic gradient for sorting, as contrast agents for imaging, as a targeting mechanism and as a drug or gene delivery agents.
Drug Delivery
Our program in magnetic nanoparticles for drug delivery is in collaboration with Prof. Vinod Labhasetwar at the Cleveland Clinic and uses cluster fabrication directly into liquids to develop high-magnetic-moment nanoparticles that can deliver multiple anti-cancer drugs to tumors using magnetic targeting. We also are pursuing applications for these materials in magnetic imaging and treatment of stroke.
Bioassay
Our program in magnetic microspheres for bioassays focuses on developing ferromagnetic microspheres that can be used in conjunction with assay techniques to increase the number of analytes that can be simultaneously detected.
Papers
For an overview, download our article Nanobiomagnet!cs from the book Advanced Magnetic Nanostructures edited by D.J. Sellmyer and R.S. Skomski, Kluwer, New York (2006). We also have a book coming out in 2007 called Biomedical Applications of Nanotechnology from Wiley