Nanotech approaches to drug delivery and imaging.

Nanotechnology, a multidisciplinary scientific undertaking, involves creation and utilization of materials, devices or systems on the nanometer scale. The field of nanotechnology is currently undergoing explosive development on many fronts. The technology is expected to create innovations and play a critical role in various biomedical applications, not only in drug delivery, but also in molecular imaging, biomarkers and biosensors. Target-specific drug therapy and methods for early diagnosis of pathologies are the priority research areas where nanotechnology would play a vital role. This review considers different nanotechnology-based drug delivery and imaging approaches, and their economic impact on pharmaceutical and biomedical industries.