Emerging Technologies

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Nanomedicine
A branch of medicine that applies the know l edge and tool s of nanotechnology
inv olv ing the use of nanoscale materials, such as biocompatible nanoparticles
and nanorobots for the prev ention and treatment of diseases. [19]
Nano-Sight w il l enable us to improv e v irus detection. It will
constantly be racing against the diseases it aims to diagnose, and
w hen surv iv al depends on earl y interv ention, l osing this race can
be fatal. Whil e detecting cancer, biomarkers are the key to early
diagnosis, but the number of biomarkers that rev eal the presence
of cancerous cells are l ow. To ov ercome this challenge, researchers
are dev eloping functional nanomaterials for more sensitiv e
detection of intracellular metabolites, tumour cel l –membrane
proteins, and cancer cel ls that are circul ating in the bl oodstream.
Nano-Fighters can, in addition to serv ing as mere drug carriers that
del iv er the chemical payl oad to target cel ls, themselves function
as therapeutics based on their nanomaterial compositions . [20]
Future of Nanomedicine
Nanomedicine w il l be used in many
forms such as medical diagnostics, l ife
aging extensions, engineering organs
dow n to the cel lular or sub-cellular
l ev els and in adv anced pharmacology.
[21]
New subfiel ds hav e adv anced by recent dev elopments in
nanomedicine, incl uding tissue engineering and regenerativ e
medicine, medical dev ices, and v accines. Caution must be taken
until these different technol ogies prov e to be safe , but
nanomedicine is now poise d to make a tremendous impact on
heal th care and the practice of cl inical medicine.