Bio-nano interfacial interactions for drug delivery systems

Nanomaterials have shown interesting interactions with biological systems, which lead to the development of a newer avenue of research, namely bionanotechnology. The unique attributes of nanomaterials such as small size, large surface area, and tunable surface functionalities could render solutions associated with the modes of drug administration, target-specific delivery, and efficient interaction with biological systems. Drug delivery systems often confront issues such as side effects, inefficiency, and damage to nontarget tissues. Thus, targeted drug delivery is an exciting achievement of bionanotechnology. The size, dimension, and aspect ratio directly impacts the overall performance of a nanomaterial. Zero-dimensional colloidal nanoparticles to two-dimensional nanosheets have been investigated extensively in this regard. This chapter encompasses the important aspects of nanomaterials useful for designing drug delivery systems. Furthermore, this chapter demonstrates the mechanism and toxicity aspects of nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems. Commercial viability of such systems has also been analyzed herein in biocompatibility and efficiency at bio-nano interface.