Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to measure and analyse the rate of scientific and technological advance of some emerging nanotechnological research fields in biomedicine to detect path-breaking technological trajectories. The approach, based on exponential models of growth, shows the current evolutionary trends of nano-research that may underpin future patterns of technological innovation in biomedicine and nanomedicine. In particular, results show that biosensors, quantum dots, carbon nanotubes and nanomicelles have innovative applications in diagnostics and targeted therapies for cancers that have been generating a revolution in clinical practice. The present study also detects two main determinants that have been supporting continuous diffusion of nano-technology in biomedicine: convergence of genetics, genomics and nanotechnology and multiplicity of learning processes in clinical research/practice. These drivers have been paving groundbreaking pathways in biomedicine that can lead to longer, better and healthier living of societies in not-too-distant future.
Highlights
Nanotechnologies are one of the NBIC “converging technologies” (Nanotechnologies, Biotechnologies, Informatics and Cognitive Sciences) that are foreseen to change the world in the future (Roco 2008; Linstone 2011)
These results indicate that some nanotechnology research domains which have generated main inventions of several nanomaterials are mature research fields, whereas nowadays studies of nanotechnology in Chemistry and Medicine have been growing because modern research centres focus their scientific research on critical innovations in more applied sectors of NSTs
Note: DELTA is the difference between and; positive delta means high attraction capacity in nanotechnology research by the specific country, vice versa negative delta means country with intensive collaborations in nanotechnology research with foreign labs
Summary
Nanotechnologies are one of the NBIC “converging technologies” (Nanotechnologies, Biotechnologies, Informatics and Cognitive Sciences) that are foreseen to change the world in the future (Roco 2008; Linstone 2011). On the other side, it describes precisely and briefly the fundamental characters of NSTs: they act in a well defined dimensional field and this is substantial and cannot be disregarded; purpose is discovering new behaviours and properties distinctive of materials when nanostructured From this point onwards, technologies have the purpose of transforming the new knowledge in innovation. Findings show a time distance of 3-4 years between the two activities, while other similar fields show very different behaviour It is obvious from this theoretical background that a deep scientific analysis of research trends and interaction in the scientific production of NSTs across leading worldwide players is an important topic to be developed in order to understand the current technological trajectories that may support future spatial patterns of economic growth
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
