Gold Nanostructures in Biomedical Technology

Nanomaterials have been defined as any material possessing at least one dimension in the nanometer scale between 1 and 100 nm. As a result, a new field has emerged during last decades: Nanotechnology. It can be defined as the design, synthesis and application of materials and devices whose size and shape have been engineered at the nanoscale. In addition to the main properties of Nanomaterials, Au nanostructures exhibit a variety of optical, physical and chemical properties (localized surface plasmon resonance, photoluminescence, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, resistance, bioinert nature or photo thermal effect) that make them especially interesting for biomedical applications. Here, we will summarize those with high relevance and impact on the future of the medicine in terms of development of new detection and imaging techniques and innovative therapies against cancer.