Nanoinformatics: Developing Advanced Informatics Applications for Nanomedicine - Intracellular Delivery: Fundamentals and Applications - page 854

be redesigned. In addition, Nanoinformatics relies heavily on work in fields such as
physics and chemistry, involving new modes of imaging or pharmacodynamics,
which go well beyond traditional research and curricular efforts in BMI, biomedicine
or nanotechnology. As we have already proposed before (Maojo et al. 2010 ), future
professionals with expertise in nanoinformatics may have an important role in
future research frameworks as information brokers, linking professionals with very
different backgrounds and expertise who might, otherwise, experience difficulties
understanding each other. Informatics methods and tools could help understand and
manage new concepts needed (fruit fly vs. other kind of fly), by means of different
educational systems created in the area.

4.6 Ethical Issues

Nanotechnology and nanomedicine have important associated ethical issues, like
nanotoxicity—both animal and environmental—, these included not just ethical
issues, but also cultural, media, entertainment, philosophical and even religious
aspects that have been previously proposed elsewhere ( http://www.action-grid.eu ).
In this regard, nano-clinical trials and research must account for these issues, while
informatics tools can contribute to managing the required information and help
following the specific ethical considerations, rules and laws that regulate these
issues in the different countries.

4.7 Imaging Informatics

Imaging techniques—particularly, in biomedicine—based on nanotechnological
research can be less invasive and more precise. For example, quantum dots generate
long-duration signals that can improve the quality of images with respect to tradi-
tional contrast agents. Monitoring diseases in living organisms should improve the
efficacy of therapies, allowing doctors to design better case-specific approaches. So
what is needed are novel informatics methods to link tissue banks to images of
tissues and histology results, imaging annotation from radiology, computerized
medical records containing large amounts of images, can improve imaging in concrete
medical cases.

4.8 Simulation and Modeling

In the context of nanomedicine, molecular modeling and simulation techniques
have been proposed as key methodologies for bionanotechnology research.
Quantum mechanics, molecular modeling and molecular simulations techniques