Nanotechnology and Advances in Medicine

Nanotechnology is an emerging technology with enormous potential in information and communication technology, biology and biotechnology, medicine and medical technology. Nanotechnology refers to the a new area of science in which systems are designed and manufactured at the scale of the atom, or the nanometer scale. More specifically nanotechnology deals with structures of less than 100 nanometer (nm). One nm is 1 billionth of a meter. there are two approaches in nanotechnology: bottom-up and top-down. The first approach, the bottom-up, involves manipulating small numbers individual atoms or more complex molecules, into structures typically using minute probes. The second, top-down, approach implies controlling processes to force atoms and molecules to build-up themselves to desired locations and/or structures.
Novel nano- and bio-materials, and nano devices are fabricated and controlled by nanotechnology tools and techniques, which investigate and tune the properties, responses and functions of living and non-living matter, at sizes below 100 nm. The potential medical applications are predominantly in detection, diagnostics (disease diagnosis and imaging), monitoring, and therapeutics. The availability of more durable and better prosthetics and new drug-delivery systems are of great scientific interest and give hope for cancer treatment and minimum invasive treatments for heart disease, diabetes and other diseases. Many novel nanoparticles and nanodevices are expected to be used, with an enormous positive impact on human health. The vision is to improve health by enhancing the efficacy and safety of nanosystems and nanodevices.