Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine: Start small, think big

Nanotechnology today has branched out in a large number of different areas of sciences because of its significant benefits in terms of improving the performance in many fields. Various types of nano-sized structures have been developed to advance nanotechnology strategies including nanorods, nanowires, nanotubes, nanobelts, nanoribbons, nanofibers, nanoparticles, quantum dots, and hollow spheres. As the specific application of nanotechnology in the health system, nanomedicine has emerged to provide new solutions for the medicine's unsolved complications. In this regard, nano-based materials are used in different medical settings including diagnosis and therapy of a variety of diseases, as well as in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine strategies. Here we provide a brief review of the potential applications of nanotechnology in different fields, especially in medicine. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.