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Nanotechnology has received extraordinary attention recently due to its burgeoning role in biomedical science.The materials composing the nanoparticles produce fascinating and diverse functionalities as a result of their exceptionally small size.Size control,both during synthesis and in particle suspensions,is a sine qua non for functionality.This can be accomplished by masking the particle surface with a multitude of different ligands.Ligands are essentially fungible and can be exchanged at various times to confer the desired properties to the particle.This can include protecting the particle from harsh aqueous conditions,such as pH extremes,maximizing optical properties for diagnostics or shielding the particle from potentially hostile conditions found in the body.The design of the ligand can have crucial effects on biodistribution as well as evasion of biological defenses.Ligands can even be designed to provide new functionality in response to various environmental stimuli to improve their therapeutic or diagnostic capabilities.Clever combination of different nanoscale materials via ligand-directed self-assembly will lead to the development of multifunctional nano-biomedical platforms for simultaneous targeted delivery,fast diagnosis,and efficient therapy.