Biomedical Applications of Quantum Dots: Overview, Challenges, and Clinical Potential

Ahmed AH Abdellatif,1,2 Mahmoud A Younis,3 Mansour Alsharidah,4 Osamah Al Rugaie,5 Hesham M Tawfeek3 1Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, 71524, Egypt; 3Department of Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt; 4Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Unaizah, Al Qassim, 51911, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Ahmed AH Abdellatif, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452, Saudi Arabia, Email a.abdellatif@qu.edu.sa Hesham M Tawfeek, Department of Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt, Email heshamtawfeek@aun.edu.egAbstract: Despite the massive advancements in the nanomedicines and their associated research, their translation into clinically-applicable products is still below promises. The latter fact necessitates an in-depth evaluation of the current nanomedicines from a clinical perspective to cope with the challenges hampering their clinical potential. Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductors-based nanomaterials with numerous biomedical applications such as drug delivery, live imaging, and medical diagnosis, in addition to other applications beyond medicine such as in solar cells. Nevertheless, the power of QDs is still underestimated in clinics. In the current article, we review the status of QDs in literature, their preparation, characterization, and biomedical applications. In addition, the market status and the ongoing clinical trials recruiting QDs are highlighted, with a special focus on the challenges limiting the clinical translation of QDs. Moreover, QDs are technically compared to other commercially-available substitutes. Eventually, we inspire the technical aspects that should be considered to improve the clinical fate of QDs.Graphical Abstract: Keywords: quantum dots, clinical translation, clinical trials, in vivo imaging, photodynamic therapy, biosensors