# Moving towards Personalized Medicine--The Broad Use of Aptamers for Targeted Theranostic
## 3 Conclusions  
Aptamers, short synthetic single-stranded RNA or DNA molecules, have emerged as powerful tools with a wide range of applications in various fields, including cancer therapeutics, immune diseases, microbiota research, and diagnosis. Within cancer therapeutics, aptamers have shown tremendous promise. They can act as antagonists or agonists, blocking or stimulating specific targets, making them valuable for drug delivery systems. Aptamers offer a more targeted and potentially less toxic alternative to traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy. Their application spans various cancer types, with numerous aptamers having been identified to target specific markers associated with breast, colorectal, lung, liver, renal, prostate, and other cancers. The versatility of aptamers allows for their combination with other therapeutic agents, potentially enhancing treatment responses and reducing the likelihood of resistance. Aptamers have also been found to have applications in the treatment of immune diseases, where they can be employed for diagnosis and therapy. They can detect immune markers, facilitating the diagnosis of conditions such as HIV or autoimmune diseases. Aptamers can also modulate immune responses, influence immune checkpoint inhibitors, or stimulate immune cells, contributing to more effective immunotherapies. Furthermore, aptamers have potential in drug delivery strategies, optimizing drug targeting, and minimizing side effects. In microbiota research and infection control, aptamers play a pivotal role in identifying and quantifying specific microbial species or strains. Their high specificity and sensitivity allow for the rapid detection of pathogens or beneficial microorganisms in complex microbial communities. Aptamers can also target microbial metabolites and signal molecules, aiding in understanding the intricate interactions between the microbiome and host health. Additionally, they have applications in therapy, where they can target and modulate specific microorganisms or deliver therapeutic molecules precisely to infection sites, reducing side effects and improving treatment efficacy. Aptamers have the potential to revolutionize the study and management of microbiota-related diseases and infections. Finally, aptamers are valuable tools for disease diagnosis, offering high affinity, ease of conjugation with labeling molecules, and versatility in biosensors and bioimaging. They outperform antibodies in various diagnostic applications, such as biosensors for detecting environmental contaminants, cancer biomarkers, or drugs. Aptasensors based on aptamer-conformational changes have been deployed in point-of-care devices, providing rapid and accurate detection, even in resource-limited settings. These aptamer-based diagnostic tools hold great promise for improving early disease detection and personalized medicine. Overall, aptamers have transcended the confines of the laboratory and have emerged as indispensable components in various scientific disciplines. Their versatility, specificity, and applicability continue to expand, offering innovative solutions for tackling complex challenges in cancer research, immunology, microbiota analysis, and disease diagnosis. As research in aptamers continues to evolve, we can anticipate even more breakthroughs and advancements with profound implications for healthcare, diagnostics, and therapeutic interventions. A.P.S. : Data research, original draft preparation; A.C.R. : Data research, original draft preparation; C.A. : Data research, original draft preparation; M.C.C.G.C. : Data research, original draft preparation; P.P.P. : Data research, original draft preparation; R.V. : Data research, original draft preparation; R.F. : Reviewing and editing; P.B. ([PERSON]). Reviewing; A.G.: Editing; S.R. : Research; D.M.-M.: Research; P.B. ([PERSON]): Conceptualization, research, reviewing, and editing. A.C.P. : Conceptualization, reviewing, and editing. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. [PERSON] (P.B.)