Nanovectors are a type of targeted delivery vehicle that transports nanoscale material. Current research is exploring their use as an alternative to traditional biological vaccine methods. Current vaccines are being enhanced through the use of nanovectors, along with the production of new methods of vaccine delivery.
Treatment that employs large size material for drug delivery presents problems such as poor bioviability, low solubility, a lack of targeted delivery and generalized side effects. The application of nanotechnology for drug delivery provides the potential for enhanced treatments with targeted delivery and fewer side effects.
Nanotechnology is currently being utilized for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Nanostructures can mimic tissue-specific bio-environments by designing constructs with particular biochemical, mechanical and electrical properties.
Nanotechnology has vast potential to transform the field of medicine. By creating nanoscale machines small enough to transverse inside the blood stream, disease and traumatic injuries can be diagnosed and treated with increased speed and sensitivity.
Flowers contain specific pigments within their petals that absorb ultraviolet (UV) light to create the intricate patterns and colors that make up their design. While humans are able to visualize these vibrant colors, bees that look to these plants for pollination are capable of recognizing different colors and pigments to the same flower that is invisible to the naked eye.
By Benedette Cuffari
31 Oct 2017
Advances in nanotechnology are increasingly being utilized in the life sciences. Designs and structures at the nanometer scale are being applied to fields such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and tissue engineering.
Protein-based nanotechnology combines the study of nanoscale proteins with the expanding field of nanotechnology. Proteins are versatile biomolecules, composed of amino acid chains, which provide the foundation for important biological functions such as molecule transportation and DNA replication.
Graphene, known worldwide as a potential wonder material, is asserting its dominance across nanotechnology, materials science, chemistry and physics fields. New research is being published all the time, be it in small open-access journals or high impact paywall journals. Industry is advancing at a fast pace and is being governed by organizations such as the National Graphene Association (NGA, Mississippi, USA) and the National Graphene Institute (NGI, Manchester, UK).
By Liam Critchley
23 Oct 2017
Microfluidics is the general term for the manipulation of nanoliter volumes of fluids through micro-channels. The field has led to the development of microfluidic devices or chips which are commonly used for high-throughput screening in the biosciences.
The most common application of nanotechnology to the field of medicine is the use of nanoparticles for cancer detection, monitoring and treatment. Many of the biological processes that cause cancer occur at the nanoscale. It is therefore possible to manipulate the tumor environment using nanotechnology for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.