Nanotechnology in Medicine

Nanoscience has, since its conception, been intertwined with medical research. The science is based on the replication and substance manufacturing of cells. Nanotechnology began as an endeavor to mimic the cell’s amazing self-sufficiency, and has since become an industry that strives to improve existing products in every sector through the manipulation of matter on the cellular level. This is most poignantly seen in the application of nanotechnology back to the medical field, where it began.

In one such application, nanoparticles of substances such as heat, light, or drugs, are engineered to have an attraction to diseased cells. This allows for direct treatment of diseased cells with minimal damage to healthy cells.

There is ongoing research, testing the efficacy of delivering chemotherapy drugs via nanoparticles directly to cancer cells.

Another example is the activation of nanoparticles by x-rays, to generate cancer-destroying electrons. This application would replace radiation therapy and circumvent its disastrous effects on the body’s healthy tissue.

Other developments include the use of nanoparticles to stimulate the production of cartilage in damaged joints, or the immune response against viruses.

Disease prevention is another important use of nanotechnology in medicine. Quantum Dots, an application still in its testing phase, may be used for finding cancerous tumors and for performing diagnostic tests. Nanocrystalline silver is one of the earliest forms of medical nanotechnology, used as an antimicrobial wound treatment.

Finally, nanotechnology is making vast improvements in the tools that physicians and medical scientists depend upon. From high-powered microscopes and imaging technology, to refined surgery implements, nanotechnology makes for cleaner, faster and more precise medicine.