According to the market research firm Global Market Insights, the market size for gold nanoparticles is projected to reach $8 billion by 2022. As Forbes recently reported, gold’s increasing use in the healthcare industry will drive that growth. Gold nanoparticals are used in a wide range of medical applications, including imaging, diagnosis, drug delivery, photo-thermal therapy, and even as a coating for titanium-based dental implants.

In the most recent development, researchers have discovered gold nanoparticles can serve as a vehicle to deliver cancer medication directly into cancer cells. The drug shuts down a molecule called telomerase. This process keeps malignant cells from rejuvenating and growing out of control.