The unique properties of materials in nano-dimension promises to make a powerful impact in the field of healthcare. The properties of nanomaterials are greatly influenced by their size and shape which in turn is dependent on the route of synthesis. The choice of the method of synthesis also depends upon the nature of the material and the application envisaged. For implants and sensors, removable or non-degradable materials are preferred while for tissue engineering and drug delivery systems biodegradable materials are ideal. Apart from these, special characteristics such as non-immunogenicity, bio-activity, bio-recognition or hydrophilicity require tailoring of the properties of the chosen material. Therefore, synthesis, characterization and optimization of the process parameters are of critical importance in the field of nanomedicine.
Zinc oxide nanowires which have various applications as sensors and UV absorbers are also being synthesized in the centre using the cost-effective hydrothermal process. Nanocrystalline hydroxy apaptite coatings are being synthesized by the sol-gel method and are being tested on implants along with proteins components from the extra-cellular matrix that would aid in biominenearlization. This could be used for efficient bone tissue regeneration applications.