Potential Applications of Nanomedicine

There are a number of promising nanomedicine applications that will emerge in the next 10 to 20 years. One of the most promising applications involves carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes have desirable material properties - they are nine times stronger than steel, have the ability to transmit 1,000 times more electrical current than copper, and are chemically stable and highly resistant to heat.

Scientists have begun to develop applications with nanotubes to heal broken bones more effectively. They grow the mineral hydoxyapatite around the nanotubes in place of naturally present collagen fibrils. Nanotubes and other nanotechnologies could also be used to create artificial tissue, bone, antibodies, blood cells, and nerve cells. Nanotechnology could also be used to assist in post-surgery healing. Nanoshells coated with gold could be used to fuse together pieces of skin after surgery. Applied to the seam of the incision traced with an infrared light, the skin can be fused together. Such a technique could also be used to close arteries with ease.

Better cancer treatments are another promising application of nanomedicine. Quantum dots, or nanoparticles consisting of cadmium selenide, are being developed with light-emitting metal properties to study tumors and locate specific proteins in the body. By attaching quantum dots to antibodies that interact with certain type of cells, the location and the concentration of various cells in human tissue can be determined. Quantum dots could potentially be used to locate cancerous tumors that cannot be detected by conventional medical approaches. Quantum dots could also be used to destroy tumor cells. For instance, magnetic nanoparticles could be exposed to an external magnetic force that would cause the particles to vibrate and heat up the tumors until they dissolve.

Nanomedicine also has the potential to improve filtering applications for medical purposes. Nanofilters are more effective than conventional filters at allowing essential nutrients to pass while blocking out contaminants and could be used in implantable artificial organ components. Such implanted devices could be outfitted with nanotechnologies that monitor the condition of the patient and release hormones or medication as needed. For instance, treatment for chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease could be greatly improved.

A more futuristic application of nanotechnology in the body would act to improve gene therapy techniques. Nanoparticles could be used to insert healthy genes into a patient’s body to replace damaged genes. A nanoarray of short strands of artificial DNA within a silicon circuit could be inserted to act as a probe and analyze the genetic sequence for deformities. Such a nanoarray could also be used to identify foreign substances in the body and alter genes to correct genetic disorders.

Another promising application of nanomedicine, although much further in the future, involves the development of nanobots. Nanobots are robots developed at the nanoscale that could potentially perform a variety of functions. The first nanobot application in the medical field will likely be for detecting pathogens and toxins in the body. Mobile nanobots could be injected into the bloodstream to monitor a patient’s internal chemistry. The technology could be outfitted with wireless transmitters to warn doctors of chemical imbalances or detect changes in brainwave activity. Finally, nanobots could be developed in the distant future to act as surgeons to repair damaged cells or even self-replicate in the body similar to a naturally-occurring virus.

Most of the above applications are currently in the early development stages and it will be several decades before they become common practice. The chemical and biological systems of the human body are complex and extensive testing is required to ensure that these applications are beneficial and do not have deleterious side effects. However, it is likely that these applications will one day become a reality and effectively change the way that medicine is practiced.