Nanotech
in Medicine

Nanotechnology: Tiny Tools Making Big Changes in Medicine

When we think about breakthroughs in medicine, we usually think about new combinations in drugs or other advanced surgical techniques. However, one of the most exciting fields medicine today is nanotechnology. Engineering material on an atomic to molecular scale has opened up countless possibilities for noticing and treating diseases, that could potentially save the lives of billions. 

Application to cancer treatment is the most promising use of nanotechnology in medicine, compared to traditional treatments with chemotherapy painfully stressing the body physically.  Nanotechnology medicine performs its treatment by killing healthy cells along with cancerous ones. This innovation allows these particles to be designed to carry chemotherapy drugs and discharge them upon arrival at the cancer cells. This increases the effectiveness of the treatment while reducing side effects for the patient at the same time.

The other major application of nanotechnology is diagnostics, which will have the capability to detect diseases even before symptoms occur. The arrival of sensors at the nanoscale can make diseases detectable before symptoms can show. This has been made possible by the capability for detecting biomarkers-substances that indicate the presence of a disease-at incredibly low concentrations. This means, based on their research, there could be diseases like cancer, diabetes, or even Alzheimer's that could be diagnosed much earlier. Hence, the treatment improves dramatically.

There is also regenerative medicine in nanotechnology. Here, nanomaterials that can actually mimic natural tissues of the body used in repairing and replacing injured organs are being developed. For example, nanofibers creating a scaffold around which new cells can grow in damaged tissues are being produced to provide new treatments for injuries and degenerative diseases.

Another famous future development in nanotechnology is the creation of "nanobots." These micro-robots are programmed to carry out specific tasks in the human body. Some examples of such tasks involve identifying and destroying cancer cells or repairs at the cellular level among other destruction or maintenance. Although this technology is still in the works, it is an awesomely powerful development for the future of medicine.

Another application is in the enhancement of vaccine efficacy. Traditional vaccines most of the time have to be assisted by adjuvants, which refer to substances added for the purpose of enhancing body immune responses. Nano-particles can serve more effectively in service of such adjuvants, making the vaccines more effective while reducing perhaps the number of doses applied.

Applications of nanotechnology in medicine pose a seriously growing potential. In the course of ongoing research and further development of these technologies, we are even going to witness more imaginative uses that will change how we diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases.