Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
techniques are expected to combine the best aspects of top-down processes, such
as microlithography, with bottom-up processes based on self-assembly and self-
organization processes allowing two- and three-dimensional devices and NM
fabrication to create diverse molecular and nanoscale materials. In addition, these
large-scale manufacturing techniques would allow many of the new and promising
nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes, magnetic NMs, inorganic and organic
nanostructures, polymers, and QDs, to be rapidly assembled into more complex
structures for various applications. New devices will have efficient and improved
electronic capabilities and new NMs will have better performance properties.
The large-scale manufacturing techniques will lead to better and less expensive
nanopowders, NPs, and nanocomposites for a wide variety of applications.
Aside from improved large-scale manufacturing, the future holds promise
toward the development of improved instrumentation for the characterization,
detection, and quantification of various NMs. Although existing instrumenta-
tion provides the needed analysis of NMs for the current applications, more
sophisticated instruments are needed to reach the ultimate application of NMs
at the molecular level. To date, instruments are capable of detecting NMs at the
nano-Molar concentration levels, which are still too high as observed in the cur-
rent various applications. Future instruments need to detect down to the pico-
Molar or even down to the atto- and zepto-Molar levels to further use the single
molecule capabilities of NMs. These ultra low levels are useful for in vivo drug
delivery, vaccine delivery, and imaging, where the NMs are given to an animal
or to a human. At the same time, more sophisticated instruments are needed to
detect levels of NMs in the workplace, the environment, in air, water, and in soil
in order to be able to monitor levels that may be toxic to living things.
Different possible applications of NMs in the future abound. For instance,
metabolic processes in the living systems can be studied through tiny nanoro-
bots that can be equipped with various probes before these are deployed. Target-
ing molecules that are designed to find specific receptors in the living system
will allow the nanorobot to go where it has to go and stay for the period of time
designated in order to gather sufficient data for the analysis. Thus, new and
improved NMs can be used for molecular level diagnostics in living systems.
A combination approach is also more than likely for the future of NMs in
medicine. To date, many NMs have been modified with two or more biomolecu-
lar components in order to allow diagnostics and therapeutic capabilities, a new
emerging area today called nanotheranostics. Nanotheranostics is envisioned to
be able to provide the impossible today during cancer therapy. This involves,
precise targeting of the cancer tissue/cells and diagnosis of therapeutic effects
of drugs given to patients in a single event. With engineered NMs, it will be pos-
sible to modify the NMs to target only the liver if the cancer or the disease is in
the liver, or wherever the disease is, by precise control and manipulation of the
NMs so that they will bring the drug or drugs only to the disease-affected tissue
or cells and release it there as well. By precise targeting, harmful side effects
of drugs can potentially be minimized if not eliminated completely. In addition,
