Carbon-based nanomaterials as an emerging platform for theranostics

Carbon-based nanomaterials include fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, graphene and its derivatives, graphene oxide, nanodiamonds, and carbon-based quantum dots. Due to their unique structural dimensions and excellent mechanical, electrical, thermal, optical and chemical properties, these materials have attracted significant interest in diverse areas, including biomedical applications. Among them, there has been recent focus on the imaging of cells and tissues and the delivery of therapeutic molecules for disease treatment and tissue repair. The broad-range one-photon property of carbon based-nanomaterials together with their biocompatibility and ease of functionalization has made them candidate imaging agents for tumor diagnosis. In particular, the intrinsic two-photon fluorescence property of carbon based-nanomaterials in the long wavelength region (near-infrared II) allows deep-tissue optical imaging. This review highlights the recent development on carbon based-nanomaterials in the field of one-photon and two-photon imaging and discusses their possible and promising diagnostic and therapeutic applications for the treatment of various diseases including cancer.