Abstract

Rana Abu-Huwaij, Sarah F. Al-Assaf, Farah Mousli, Maram S. Kutkut, Ahlam Al-Bashtawi

During past years, researchers have focused on developing a technique that can be applied in biomedical field. Ongoing research effortsfocused on iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) as one of those developed techniques. They have been widely used because of their unique properties. They are biocompatible, biodegradable with unique non-toxic magnetic properties. They can be synthesized with reliable surface modification. Thanks to these peculiar characteristics, IONPs appear as the starting point for the development of new therapeutic strategies in microbiology and oncology. Hence,the latest published workson newly developed surface modified IONPs are described, tackling the main benefits and drawbacks of the methodof development, with particular emphasis on the possible applications in clinical practice as anticancer or antimicrobial agents. Looking forward, more progression in synthesis technologies of IONPs must continue to beoptimized and developed togive rise to a new golden age in oncology and a breakthrough in the fight against cancer and infection.