Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
and immunoisolation therapies. Second, biotechnology offers the benefits of
molecular medicine via genomics, proteomics, and artificial engineered microbes.
Third, in the longer term, molecular machine systems and medical nanorobots will
allow instant pathogen diagnosis and extermination, chromosome replacement and
individual cell surgery in vivo, and the efficient augmentation and improvement of
natural physiological function. There are several other intriguing, still theoretical,
proposals for practical applications of nanomechanical tools into the fields of
medical research and clinical practice. One function of nanodevices in medical
sciences could be the replacement of defective or incorrectly functioning cells,
such as the respirocyte proposed by Freitas. It has also been postulated that
nanomachines could distribute drugs within the patient's body. Such nanocon-
structions could deliver medicines to particular sites, making more adequate and
precise treatment possible. Such devices would have a small computer, several
binding sites to determine the concentration of specific molecules, and a supply of
some 'poison' that could be released selectively. Similar machines equipped with
specific 'weapons' could be used to remove obstructions in the circulatory system
or identify and kill cancer cells. It has been also proposed that nanorobots may be
modified bacteria and viruses that already have most of the motorization and target
delivery of genetic information. Moreover, nanorobots, operating in the human
body could monitor levels of different compounds and store that information in
internal memory. They could be used to rapidly examine a given tissue location,
surveying its biochemistry, biomechanics, and histometric characteristics in
greater detail. This would help in better disease diagnosing. The use of nanode-
vices would give the additional benefits of reduced intrusiveness, increased patient
comfort, and greater fidelity of results, since the target tissue can be examined in
its active state in the actual host environment.
Over the next couple of years it is widely anticipated that nanotechnology will
continue to evolve and expand in many areas of life and science, and the
achievements of nanotechnology will be applied in medical sciences, including
diagnostics, drug delivery systems, and patient treatment. According to Dr Brazil
from the Royal Society of Medicine (July 2003) opinion: ''Nanotechnology pro-
vides the potential for significant advances over the next 50 years'' with potential
applications of:
1. biological nanosensors for diagnostics in the next 1-5 years,
2. generation of artificial muscles, development lab-on-a chip technology for more
efficient drug discovery and targeted drug and gene delivery within the next
6-10 year, and
3. later on (after 10-50 years) introduction of nanomachines for in vivo treatment
and nanopumps/vales for tissue engineering and generation of artificial organs,
in health care and medicine.
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