Gold nanorods in photomedicine

This chapter discusses the applications of gold nanorods in photomedicine. Gold nanorods possess unique optical properties that allow them to be used in tandem with light-based therapeutic, imaging or sensing systems to detect and treat diseases. We begin the chapter with a general introduction to the synthesis, optical properties, surface functionalization, and biocompatibility of gold nanorods. Their use in photomedicine will then be presented in three major areas of applications, including therapy, therapeutic delivery, and probing of diseases through imaging and sensing. The principles behind these applications as well as some recent examples from scientific literature will be discussed to provide a good overview of the current state-of-the-art applications in each of these areas.