AN INTRODUCTION TO NANOCOMPUTING - Bio-Inspired and Nanoscale Integrated Computing - page 22

scientific field. It is also important to emphasize the importance of cooperation
between scientists, physicians, and engineers to ensure the success of biomedical
and nanotechnology related research.
Perhaps the most intriguing development in this field was the discovery of
nanoparticles called vaults. Groundbreaking work on vaults was performed at the
University of California, Los Angeles, where these nanocapsulses have fascinated
scientists since their discovery [35]. Current studies have shown that vaults are
found in all eukaryotic cells and are composed of protein and RNA [36]. Through
precise genetic manipulation, scientists predict that vaults may be used as
structural support for nanomachines as well as integral parts of nanocircuits.
Perhaps most appealing is the potential of vaults to serve as vehicles for drug
delivery. These nanocapsulses may one day deliver precise amounts of drug to
specific cells in the body, increasing their efficacy and eliminating the potential for
certain adverse reactions. While this type of technology seems to be straight out of
a science fiction film, it is indeed very real and has a tremendous potential to usher
in the age of nanomedicine. Vaults may also be used as biological sensors,
detoxification centers, and aid in environmental restoration [36]. Equally impor-
tant will be their contributions to biomedical research as a whole. It is impossible
to predict the full potential of vaults but they may revolutionize drug delivery,
treatment of disease, and fundamentally change the way we practice medicine.
Imagine for a moment a day in which vital signs, blood chemistries, and even
disease progression can be monitored remotely by nanomachines. These safe and
affordable nanorobots would be capable of transmitting data to a local physician
and may even calculate complete blood counts, cholesterol levels, and search for
invading pathogens. Some speculate that such robots could also be used to treat
heart attacks and strokes by analyzing and neutralizing blood clots that pose a
threat to the patient. Nanotechnology can provide physicians with more accurate
and less invasive techniques for treating everything from the common cold to the
most severe and debilitating diseases. Medicine would never be the same.
1.6.2. Molecular Motors
In analyzing the problem of providing power for future nanocomputing devices,
researchers are exploring the use of molecular motors. These motors, instrumental
in the functioning of biological systems such as muscle contraction, will allow for
the movement of nanorobots within organisms. All motors consume a form of
energy to perform work; in the case of molecular motors, it is some form of
chemical energy, such as ATP [37]. Molecular motors are attractive because they
are smaller and more efficient than any other man-made motor [37]. Numerous
molecular motors exist, the most well-known being the proteins myosin and
kinesin. Myosin lies along actin filaments in muscle cells and utilize a single ATP
molecule per cycle to perform a power stroke [38]. Kinesin carries cargo in the
intercellular space and uses 1 ATP to move 8 nm. The development of effective
and reliable molecular motors will be essential for the utilization of nanorobots in
biomedical applications.