Abstract:

Magnetic hyperthermia and photothermia have emerged as state-of-the-art thermal treatments for cancer. These methods utilize nanomaterial focusing agents, generally magnetic nanoparticles in magnetic hyperthermia and plasmonic nanoparticles in photothermia, and an external physical stimulus to provide efficient, noninvasive treatment. However, each method suffers from distinct challenges. These challenges have led to an interest in the development of magneto-photothermal hybrid nanomaterials that can combine methodologies to give the best of both worlds. Work done at the Matter and Complex Sciences Laboratory has begun to address this. In a 2018 paper, Espinosa1 and coworkers investigated four common magnetic nanoparticles and four common plasmonic nanoparticles. The report aims at determining the applicability of magnetic nanoparticles for photothermia. This work is one of the first to cross the boundaries between magnetic hyperthermia and photothermia and represents a crucial step towards developing efficient magneto-photothermal hybrid materials.

1. Espinosa, Ana, et al. Adv. Funct. Mater., 2018, 28.37, (1803660)