How are nanomaterials used in medicine and research?

Medical research include improvements on...

fluorescent biological labels,

drug and gene delivery,

bio detection of pathogens,

detection of proteins,

probing of DNA structure,

tissue engineering,

tumour destruction via heating (hyperthermia), separation and purification of biological molecules and cells,

MRI contrast enhancement,

phagokinetic studies,

advances in brain, spinal cord and cardiovascular repair.

Some manufacturing and technological solutions include advances on

the bionic eye,

green materials for consumer products and healthcare,

next generation aerospace metals,

high-performance solar cells,

smart materials for medical diagnostics,

hybrid car fuel cells.

How are nanomaterials used in medicine and research?

Detremental effects of Nanomaterials

Pose problems relating to their fate, behavior, disposition, and toxicity...

to the environement and the body

Bibliography

Colvin, V. (2003). The potential environmental impact of engineered nanomaterials. Nat Biotechnol, 21(10), pp.1166-1170.

Erik C Dreaden, M. (2012). Size matters: gold nanoparticles in targeted cancer drugdelivery.Therapeutic delivery, [online] 3(4), p.457. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3596176/#R2 [Accessed 17 Apr. 2016].

Google Books. (2016). Isotopes in Nanoparticles. [online] Available at: https://books.google.com.au/books?id=Hcn1CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA481&lpg=PA481&dq=examples+of+nanoparticles+(elements)&source=bl&ots=ZS8ebXTpEN&sig=U1OlSKeLMpep9uRmq4qBz7Vk5fc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjPmfj1uJLMAhWnXaYKHeWmAycQ6AEIQjAH#v=onepage&q=examples%20of%20nanoparticles%20(elements)&f=false [Accessed 17 Apr. 2016].

Klaine, S., Alvarez, P., Batley, G., Fernandes, T., Handy, R., Lyon, D., Mahendra, S., McLaughlin, M. and Lead, J. (2008). NANOMATERIALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT: BEHAVIOR, FATE, BIOAVAILABILITY, AND EFFECTS. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 27(9), p.1825.

Monash.edu. (2016). Nanomaterials - Monash University. [online] Available at: http://www.monash.edu/research/capabilities/leading/nano [Accessed 17 Apr. 2016].

Nanowerk. (2016). Nanotechnology and the Environment. [online] Available at: http://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology-and-the-environment.php [Accessed 17 Apr. 2016].

New England Journal of Medicine. (2016). Nanomedicine — NEJM. [online] Available at: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra0912273?viewType=Print [Accessed 17 Apr. 2016].

Niehs.nih.gov. (2016). Nanomaterials. [online] Available at: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/sya-nano/ [Accessed 17 Apr. 2016].

Peer D, e. (2016). Nanocarriers as an emerging platform for cancer therapy. - PubMed - NCBI. [online] Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18654426 [Accessed 17 Apr. 2016].

Pubs.acs.org. (2016). [online] Available at: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00534 [Accessed 17 Apr. 2016].

Sustainable Nano. (2014). Nano Contaminants: How Nanoparticles Get Into the Environment. [online] Available at: http://sustainable-nano.com/2014/05/13/nano-contaminants-how-nanoparticles-get-into-the-environment/ [Accessed 17 Apr. 2016].

Salata, O. (2004). Journal of Nanobiotechnology, [online] 2(1), p.3. Available at: http://jnanobiotechnology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1477-3155-2-3 [Accessed 17 Apr. 2016].

Nanomaterials

Gold nanomaterials have demonstrated a unique combination of physical, chemical, optical and electronic properties which is unlike other biomedical nanotechnologies.

Possibilities are endless especially in relation to medicine and research...

Future Directions

Gold Nanomaterials

Currently, the majority of commercial nanoparticle and nanomaterial applications in medicine are based around drug delivery.

The major trend in future development is to produce nanomaterials that are multifunctional and can be controllable by external signals, essentially turning them into nano-devices.

Identified and tested as being good conveyors of drugs for targeted therapies.

Gold Nanoparticles

Heat generated from surface plasmon resonance

Cancer

Benefitial Properties of Gold

Gold is inert,

is a metal,

has free flowing electrons,

light interacts with electrons on the nanoparticle surface (surface plasmon resonance)