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Nanotechnology in medicine

Nanotechnology is the science of maneuvering and modifying the structure and properties of matter at an atomic and molecular scale. Due to these manipulations, inert elements start to function as catalyst, and insoluble matter develop unique solubility capacity. Likewise, non-colloids begin exhibiting excellent colloidal properties and electrical non-conductors start conducting electricity. All these materials can be used for a vast variety of purposes in field as diverse as medicine, energy production and electronics.

In recent years, nanotechnology has found innumerable applications in the field of medicine — from drug delivery systems, nanorobots and cell repair machines to imaging, nanoparticles and nanonephrology. Owing to the extensive use of nanomaterials in medical equipments and devices, nanomedicine has become a significant branch of nanotechnology. Here are some important uses of nanotechnology in the field of medicine. All these things prove that nanotechnology will play a significant role in the future, and shows why is nanotechnology useful.

Drug delivery system and nanoparticles
The primary objective of the drug delivery system is to make the life-saving drug available in that part of the body where it is required the most. However, most of the time, these systems fail to work efficiently because the particles of the drug are too large for the cells to absorb, or they are insoluble or they have the potential to cause tissue damage. On the other hand, due to their exceedingly small size, nanoparticles are easily taken up by the cell. Moreover, they are completely soluble and they do not also damage the tissues. In nutshell, the efficiency of the drug delivery system can be increased several times by integrating nanoparticles with them.
Coupling of nanoparticles with biopharmaceuticals
Biopharmaceuticals are peptides or protein molecules that trigger multiple reactions in the human body. They are widely used in the treatment of life-threatening diseases like cancer. The effectiveness of biopharmaceuticals can be increased several times by coupling them with nanoparticles, which will proficiently deliver the peptides or proteins at the tumor site and in this manner cure cancer without causing extensive damage to the adjacent tissues and organs.

Nanotechnology and neuro-electronic devices
Neuro-electronic devices are unique machines based on nanotechnology that connect the nervous system with the computer. These devices not just detect and interpret the signals from the nervous system, but also control and respond to them. They can be used in the treatment of diseases that slowly and steadily decay the nervous system like multiple sclerosis.

Nanonephrology
This is a sub-branch of nanomedicine which is concerned with the detection and treatment of kidney diseases. Here various devices based on nanotechnology are used for the studying the different kidney processes and detecting disorders. Thereafter, nanoparticles and drug delivery system are used for curing the disorder.

Nanotechnology and cell repair machines
These cell repair machines use nanotechnology to penetrate into the cell and rectify disorders like DNA damage or enzyme deficiency. These machines are no bigger than a bacteria or virus.

Nanorobots
The entry of nanorobots will literally revolutionize the world of medicine. These miniature devices would not only be capable of entering into the body and detecting the diseases and infection, but they will also be capable of repairing internal injuries and wounds.

Nanotech and Cancer

Nanotechnology deals with manipulating the structure as well as properties of matter at the atomic and molecular level. As the result of this maneuvering, the properties of matter change dramatically. While some insoluble elements develop high solubility capacity, inert substances start exhibiting catalyst properties. Owning to their size and properties, nanomaterials are extensively used for the treatment of a number of diseases. Cancer is such a disease where nanotechnology can play a significant role.

Nanoparticles and nanorobots
Cancer is a condition where changes occur in a small percentage of cells and they start replicating interminably. Problems come to the fore only when the condition becomes unmanageable. The size of nanoparticles and nanorobots is exceedingly small, and because of this property, they can easily enter into the blood vessels, organs, tissues and even the cells of the body. Additionally, they can also find out those cells that are growing abnormally. Thus, they can play a decisive role in the detection of cancer at a very early stage.

Accurate drug delivery
Once the cancer has been detected, it becomes essential to treat it as quickly as possible. Most of the cancer treatment methods cause widespread damage because while eliminating the cancerous cells they also start acting upon the normal cells. Drug delivery systems that use nanoparticles can effectively treat cancer without damaging the surrounding cells and tissues. These nanoparticles are smaller than the body cells, and can easily carry the drug to that part of the body where the cancerous cells are located.

Biopharmaceuticals and cancer
Biopharmaceuticals are basically proteins molecules that trigger multiple reactions in the human body. They are widely used in the treatment of cancer. The effectiveness of these pharmaceuticals will increase several times if they are coupled with nanoparticles. The nanoparticles will carry the biopharmaceuticals directly to the tumor site without adversely affecting the cells and tissues that come in the way. In this manner, cancer would be cured and healthy cells will remain as such.

Cell repair machine and cancer treatment
Cancer primarily occurs due to mutation; the genetic information stored in the DNA is changed. As the result the affected cells divide continuously and cause the formation of tumors. The cell repair machine that is as small as a nanoparticle can easily penetrate into the cancerous cell and repair the damaged DNA. As the technique is completely non-invasive, therefore the normal cells remain unharmed.

History of nanotechnology

In 1974, Norio Taniguchi of the Tokyo Science University, defined the term nanotechnology for the first time. According to his definition, nanotechnology encompasses separating, processing, consolidating and deforming matter at atomic and molecular scales. Although the term nanotechnology got its definition in 1974, the actual concept was introduced way back in 1867, when James Clerk Maxwell proposed a minuscule entity called Maxwell’s Demon that was capable of handling individual molecules.
Richard Adolf Zsigmondy was the first person to observe and measure the dimensions of nanoparticles. He was also the first person to use nanometer for characterizing the size of the nanoparticles unambiguously. He determined that 1 nm was 1/1,000,000 millimeter. He also developed the first classification system that was based on size of the particle that ranged in nanometer.

In the 20th century several developments took place that helped in characterizing nanomaterials. Like in 1920, Irving Langmuir introduced the concept of monolayer, where a layer of material is just one molecule thick. He received a Nobel Prize for this concept.
In 1959, Richard Feynman, at a meeting of American Physical Society at Caltech, put forth a process that had the ability to control and modify individual atoms and molecules. He stated that by scaling down the dimensions of the atom, dramatic changes can be brought about in its properties. After the discourse, he announced two challenges; first was the construction of nanomotor, which achieved by William McLellan in 1960,and second involved the process of scaling down the letters of Britannica Encyclopedia to fit on the head of a pin; this task was accomplished by Tom Newman in 1985.
In 1965, Gordon Moore made an astounding prediction; he stated that the number of transistors that could fit in a specific area would double every 18 years for the next 10 years. Till this date the trend is continuing, from 2000 transistors in 4004 processors to 7,000,000,000 transistors in Core 2, and Gordon’s prediction is popularly known as Moore’s Law.
In 1974, Dr. Tuomu Suntola et al. patented the atomic layer deposition process. Through this process it became possible to deposit uniformly thin films, one atomic layer at one time. In the 1980s, nanotechnology no longer remained stochastic, but became deterministic. During this period, Dr. K. Eric Drexler advocated the significance of nanomaterials and devices.

So much of groundwork on nanotechnology made the process of production and implementation of nanomaterials relatively simple.