Nanobiotechnology: methods, applications, and future prospects

Nanobiotechnology is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses the applications of nanomaterials in biotechnology. This field has significant applications in medicine, health, imaging, immunoproteomics, drug delivery, tissue engineering, cosmetics, agriculture, and pharmacy. Nanobiotechnology has been instrumental in developing intelligent drug delivery and gene therapy tools, nanobiosensors, nanodiagnostics, nanobioconstructs, nanofluidic devices, and bio-compatible nanodevices. Nanoparticles, nanomaterials, and nanocolloids can be synthesized by using biological, chemical, and physical methods. Currently, there is an impending need for the development of cost-effective and environment-friendly methods for the synthesis of biocompatible nanoparticles. In the present chapter, we have attempted to present an overview of the different methods for the synthesis of nanoparticles, the underlying mechanisms of biological synthesis, and the recent trends in their applications in nanobiotechnology.