Chapter 11 - Nanomedicine

Abstract

Nanomedicine is the application of nanotechnology in medicine. This field of study is based on three powerful molecular technologies: nanoscale-structured materials and devices; molecular medicine via genomics, proteomics, and artificially engineered microorganisms; and molecular machine systems. A significant number of applications in nanomedicine are being discovered and used such as Nano-ophthalmology, Nanocardiology, Nanopharmaceuticals, Nanodermatology. Nanopharmaceuticals consist of discovery, development, and delivery of drugs (highly branched polymer). Nano-ophthalmology has been used for a decade to improve the delivery and safety of drugs used for treating disorders of the eye. The areas of Nano-ophthalmology include: ocular drug delivery, topical drug application to the eye, and nanotechnology-based therapeutics for eye diseases. Ophthalmic drug delivery through nanoparticles in contact lenses, DNA nanoparticles for nonviral gene transfer to the eye, nanobiotechnology for regeneration of the optic nerve are some of the common applications of nano-ophthalmology. Nanotechnology plays an integral role in creating materials and structures for tissue regeneration to match the nanoscale structures of biological cells. Tissue engineering can be applied in different parts of the human body (e.g., exosomes for drug-free organ transplants, nanobiotechnology and organ-assisting devices, tissue engineering and cardiology). Nanocomposites, particularly hydroxyapatite and collagen-based composites, have gained much recognition as bone grafts due to their compositional and structural similarity with natural bone. Carbon nanofibers-reinforced polycarbonate urethane composites, nanoscale molecular scaffolding, single-walled carbon nanotubes, artificial joints, and antibacterial implants (silver nanoparticle-modified titanium (Ti-nAg) plates) all have been studied and approved as good applications of bone engineering.