Imparting size, shape, and composition control of materials for nanomedicine

This tutorial review presents an overview of strategies for the synthesis and fabrication of organic nanomaterials, specifically those with potential for use in medical applications. Examples include liposomes, micelles, polymer-drug conjugates and dendrimers. Methods of driving shape via "bottom-up" synthetic approaches and thermodynamics and kinetics are discussed. Furthermore, methods of driving shape via "top-down" physical and engineering techniques are also explored. Finally, a novel method ( referred to as PRINT) used to produce nanoparticles that are shape-specific, can contain any cargo, and can be easily modified is examined along with its potential future role in nanomedicine.