Magnetically Responsive Nanocomposite Materials for Bioapplications

Abstract

Magnetic nano- and microparticles have already found many important applications in various areas of biosciences, medicine, biotechnology, environmental technology etc. These smart materials exhibit different types of response to external magnetic field. In most cases they can be described as composite materials, where the magnetic properties are caused by the presence of iron oxides nano- or microparticles. Such materials can be efficiently separated from difficult-to-handle samples and targeted to the desired place, applied as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging, used to generate heat during exposure to alternating magnetic field or to modify biomolecules and biological structures.