Abstract

Graphene is a two-dimensional allotrope of carbon with a flat honeycomb lattice structure. Since from its instigation, it has increasingly attracted attention by researchers globally as a versatile nanoplatform in the field of biomedical research. Owing to its unique physical, mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties coupled with high aspect ratio, it has been considered as highly sought after nanocomposite materials for various multifunctional applications in healthcare systems. Important applications of graphene explored in the last one decade include nanodevices, nanosensors, nanorobots, actuators, and nanotweezers. Graphene has excellent surface tunable characteristics and high degree of functionalization ability, which make it suitable for diverse applications in drug delivery, diagnostics, theranostics imaging, and photothermal therapy for treatment of diseases like, cancer, Alzheimer disease, and AIDS. Graphene has also been employed widely as nanocarriers due to biofunctionalization ability for delivery of biomolecules like DNA, siRNA, protein, peptides, and antigen. Not only graphene, but graphene-based nanomaterials like graphene oxides and other chemically modified graphene materials have derivatized their utility in biotechnology such as in genetic engineering and stem cell therapy. By and large, owing to the high degree of acceptance of graphene materials, the present chapter endeavors to provide an updated account on diverse applications of graphene and graphene-based ­nanomaterials with special emphasis on drug delivery applications.