Abstract

Theranostics is a recently emerging area in nanomedicine. Nanoparticles which can combine both diagnostic and therapy in one single platform serve as theranostic agents. Some of the currently explored nanoparticles are metallic nanoparticles, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, carbonbased nanoparticles, and polymer nanogels. Polymeric nanogels are receiving considerable attention due to their high biocompatibility and functional performance. The present review article briefly summarizes the scopes and challenges of the state of art of using polymeric nanogels for theranostic applications. Among the different polymer nanogels, a special emphasis is given to polymeric nanogels with innate imaging potential.

Keywords: Theranostics, nanogel, fluorescence, imaging agent, therapeutic agent, nanoparticles.