Theranostics is a word that combines therapy and diagnostics. More popularly, it defines a class of agents that are able to diagnose a particular disease or disease marker and deliver its payload or by itself act as a drug. Biomaterials evoke biocompatibility, biomechanical, tissue engineering, physiological, and electrical concepts that enable monolithic or alloyed materials to be incorporated in the human body. Surfaces are another important application since these object surfaces are exposed to cell-adhesion, bio-fouling, and tissue growth. This webinar will review a number of biomedical investigative methods and tools that focus on surfaces and nanoparticles to enable the creation of new theranostic agents and smart devices. Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is an important method for biomedicine since it enables direct morphological characterization with soft materials.