Nanoparticle Use in Medicine

Nanotechnology is the production of technology on the nanoscale, which is used to achieve properties that provide many benefits. For example, materials can be made more effective and durable, or have the ability to accomplish tasks on a smaller scale. Nanomedicine is the application of nanotechnology to medicine and produces precise solutions for disease prevention, diagnostics, treatments, and advancement of medical procedures. There are many uses for nanotechnology in medicine, and new uses are being discovered every day that advance health, wellbeing, medicine, and science as a whole.

A nanometre is one-billionth of a meter, which is nearly ten times the diameter of a hydrogen atom. At this scale, ordinary rules of physics and chemistry no longer apply, and color, strength, reactivity, conductivity and more can differ substantially. Carbon nanotubes, for instance, are one hundred times stronger but six times lighter than steel. This maximizes the efficiency of use and production of materials, creating products that are cheaper and easier to make while also being more functional. Nanotechnology and its components were discovered by American physicist Richard Feynman who brought up its ideas and concepts at a 1959 American Physical Society conference, long before the term was coined. Since then, nanotechnology has been used to provide renewable energy, food industries, medicine, and more.

Photo via https://uwaterloo.ca/future-students/programs/nanotechnology-engineering

The most prominent use of nanotechnology in medicine is to treat diseases. Gold nanoparticles are currently being studied to develop potential treatments for cancer and other diseases. Other nanoparticles could deliver medication directly to cancer cells, reducing the risk of healthy tissue being damaged as otherwise seen in chemotherapies. Atherosclerosis, a disease characterized by a buildup of plaque in the arteries, can be treated with a nanoparticle that mimics high-density lipoprotein (HDL), (more commonly known as beneficial cholesterol).

The field of regenerative medicine is also advancing greatly, as materials are being researched to mimic the dense mineral structure of bones for amputees. Complex tissues and organs can also be grown with nanotechnology. Other applications include vaccine delivery without the use of needles, beneficial for those with trypanophobia, or a universal vaccine that can protect against many different strains of a virus.

Photo Depicting the Use of Nanobots via https://www.analyticsinsight.net/nanobots-magnifying-the-dynamics-of-medical-precision/

Developing countries with little access to healthcare and medicine can also benefit from nanotechnology. Due to its inexpensive and efficient nature, only modest amounts of energy and resources are needed for manufacturing. As such, developing countries including India, China and South Korea have been identified as the front-runners for nanotechnology research, with numerous government-funded programs and research institutes being developed there. They are greatly benefiting off the cheap and effective solution that nanotechnology provides.

Although nanoparticle use in medicine has been proven to be very beneficial, there are a few negative side effects that need to be addressed. Some particles such as solid silver are toxic, but that does not help predict the toxicity of silver nanoparticles used in medications. Particles also have the potential to accumulate in the environment and pose health/environmental risks to nature. The health risks of certain nanoparticles on humans have also yet to be researched fully. An example of an application with potential for risk is the nanobot, which is a self-replicating robot that can be used to repair damaged cells or structures. They also replicate themselves to correct a DNA molecule that causes disease. Scientists are studying their effects in antibodies or antiviral agents to treat patients with impaired immune systems. Due to the fact that they are self-replicating, many ethical concerns arise from their use. These are negative effects that need to be carefully weighed and considered before further advancement of nanotechnology is pursued.

Over the years, nanotechnology research has greatly advanced as scientists and researchers are discovering new innovative ways to integrate it into medicine and other industries. With further research and development, more cancer treatments can be found, the process of diagnosing diseases can be improved upon, and the study of genetics can be revolutionized. Evidently, the benefits of nanotechnology are endless. Along with the great benefits nanotechnology provides to the field of medicine, the most important to note is that it can also be used to improve the lives of people in developing countries. They defy the laws of physics and chemistry, allowing them to have supernatural characteristics that provide many benefits to society.

References

What is Nanotechnology and What Can It Do? (2013, July 15). AzoNano. Retrieved November 14, 2020, from https://www.azonano.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1134

Benefits and Applications. (n.d.). National Technology Initiative. Retrieved November 14, 2020, from https://www.nano.gov/you/nanotechnology-benefits

Halim, S. (2018, November 05). Nanobots in medicine: The key to fighting chronic diseases with nanomedicine. Health Europa. Retrieved November 14, 2020, from https://www.healtheuropa.eu/nanobots-in-medicine-nanomedicine/88829/

University of Waterloo. (2020, November 06). Nanotechnology Engineering. Retrieved November 14, 2020, from https://uwaterloo.ca/future-students/programs/nanotechnology-engineering