Magnetic nanoparticles as markers for biomedical analysis

Magnetic nanoparticles are tiny magnets of the size of large molecules. These nanoparticles can be used as markers for biomedical analysis with remarkable properties. By homogenous magnetic fields they can be rotated and by gradient fields they can be steered with magnetic forces. By antibody functionalization of their surface other proteins can be coupled to the nanoparticles. This way the mobility of the nanoparticle is changed, which can be detected macroscopically by the modified response to external magnetic fields. Protein interaction can help to deliver drugs and to localize infections or inflammations for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes by magnetic particle imaging (MPI).