NANOTECHNOLOGY IN MEDICINE

MOHAMED RASHAD NILAMDEEN

260501041

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this research paper is to explore the most recent advances in Nanotechnology
and Biomedical engineering, and the integration of both into modern medicine and
infrastructure. This paper will inform its audience of the above and will hopefully allow them to
build upon it.

AUDIENCE:
This paper is aimed at students with a general background in engineering, with sufficient
knowledge of physics and chemistry.
The above is needed in order to fully understand the internal workings of nanotechnology and
its possible uses.
Once the idea has been planted, it will allow possible future implementations and additions in
the field, as well as ideas for their research, theses. Moreover, it shall provide further areas of
interest and potential projects.

INTRODUCTION
How often has someone close to you been deeply affected by a medical ailment of some sort?
Be it something that can be maintained, like cholesterol, or something very grave, like cancer,
the world is constantly impacted by medical problems. However, recent advancements in
technology have allowed us to better understand medical ailments and have aided us by
advancing towards a more efficient solution. Diseases and infections have are currently the
number one cause of death in the world (WHO, 2011).
Diseases are all around us whether minute or widespread, an individual in our lives (friend or
family) has been inflicted by some sort of ailment. While most medical issues are instantly
curable, others are treated over a period of time. There are however, a small percentage of
diseases which are incurable and can end up being terminal. If a terminal illnesses had an
effective treatment that could actively work to easily eradicate the disease completely, the
world could possibly rid itself of terminal illnesses. One of the more prominent terminal
illnesses, with the greatest number of deaths recently, is cancer (Siegel, Naishadham, & Jemal,
2012).
Cancer occurs when cells divide and grow uncontrollably. This rapid, uncontrollable increase in
cells form tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. Unlike most diseases, cancer cannot
simply be cured, but rather only treated. If it is at all, it does not stay quiet as most cases of
cancer return a while after infected cells have been eliminated, mainly due to a number of cells
remaining dormant for a while. (Aguirre-Ghiso & Julio, 2007).
Eradicating the infected cells (with the use of Chemotherapy) is a long and horribly strenuous
procedure. It renders the subject with fatigue, nausea, vomiting as well as hair loss. This can
cause physical stress on the individuals body as well as emotional trauma (HealthlinKBC, 2011).
In many cases, chemotherapy does not completely eradicate cancer cells. In fact in some cases,
chemotherapy has almost no effect on the patients cancer and leaves them only with its side
effects (Health Education Library for People, 2012).
Scientists are constantly working on efficient solutions, and have now possibly found one that
may be the answer.
Harnessing the strengths of nanotechnology for their applications in medicine has become a
leading strategy in combating cancer. The mere ability to locate the site of diseased tissue and
carefully execute a form of therapeutic action is quite remarkable, and has proven useful for
local treatment of malignant tumors. (Krishnaswamy, 2012; Karlikowski, 2010)

1.1 NANOTECHNOLOGY
Nanotechnology, from the Greek word nano, meaning dwarf, is the creation and utilization
of materials, devices, and systems through the control of matter on the nanometer-length
scale. (Jain, 2008, p.89)
Nano technology, or Nano-medicine, possesses the potential to answer many current medical
dilemmas. Already bearing numerous applications in the fields of science and engineering, it
has now been applied in the field of medicine and medical research. Although it is a relatively
new field, it has been studied and built upon rather quickly and is making an impact in the
world.

with the basics of nano-biotechnology, followed by its applications in molecular

diagnostics, nano-diagnostics, and improvements in the discovery, design and delivery
of drugs, including nano-pharmaceuticals. Nano-biotechnology forms the basis of many
new devices being developed for medicine and surgery such as Nanorobots. It has
applications in practically every branch of medicine and examples are presented of
those concerning cancer (nano-oncology), neurological disorders (nano-neurology),
cardiovascular disorders (nano-cardiology), etc. (Jain, 2008, p.89)

Due to the increasingly frequent cases of cancer and common problems associated with age
(such as cholesterol), the use of Nanobots in modern medicine for rapid drug delivery, the
treatment of cancer and cardio-vascular disorders and is becoming more prevalent. It is,
therefore, important to learn more about these issues in order to further improve on future
methods.

1.2 NANOBOTS
The nanobot itself can be thought of as less of a futuristic sci-fi-like drone, and rather a more
technologically complex piece of fabric. Hundreds of short, single-stranded DNA pieces wrap
themselves around a scaffold, like the warp and weft in weaving cloth". (Douglas et al, 2012, p.
831)
Building on Douglass research has led to advances in DNA nanotechnology that has now
permitted the construction of advanced structures with multiple aspects and dimensions.
Nanostructures are currently being produced using, something that can be thought of as DNAorgami. This methodology is used to create either two or three-dimensional shapes at a nanomolecular scale by folding a long, single-stranded DNA molecule along a predetermined path
using DNA 'staples'. (Fu and Yan, 2012, p.407)
Nanostructures that are produced using the DNA-origami approach can be designed to
possess surface features at which other particles or molecules can be precisely positioned. This
mechanism can be idealized around the way a catalyst works. (Fu and Yan, 2012; Douglas et al,
2012)

1.2.1 NANOBOTS IN BIOMEDICINE

A more detailed look into the structure shows that Nanobots using the DNA-origami approach
act much like our own disease fighting antibodies:
To fabricate the nanobot by DNA origami, a long single-stranded DNA scaffold is folded
into the shape of a hexagonal barrel by short oligonucleotide 'staple' strands. The
assembled nanobot consists of two locks, a barrel-shaped body and a bound molecular
cargo. The use of two different locks that 'unlock' when exposed to two antigens results
in an AND logic gate, meaning that the nanobot opens in the presence of the correct
combination of antigen keys. The molecular payload is then released to bind to target
cells and activate signaling pathways (Fu & Yan, 2012, p.407)
The meticulous research that has been carried out has resulted in the designing of a box (at a
nano-scale) that discharges its drug payload when in the vicinity of a certain configuration of
target molecules. The barrel-shaped device (the nanobot itself) is built of two halves connected
to each other by a hinge.
Two distinct DNA locks/staples are used to close and lock the DNA barrel. (Fu & Yan, 2012,
p.407)

Because each of these locks can only bond to different protein antigens, they form an AND logic
gate. An AND logic gate only works when both conditions are satisfied, which in this case,
means that BOTH proteins must be present and bonded to in order to release the drug payload.
Thus, the lock works as a sense-compute-actuate mechanism that could be employed in certain
areas of the body to cause a specific therapeutic response, resulting in the eradicating of
diseases as well as a possible eventual cure to diseases such as cancer. (Fu & Yan, 2012)
It has further led to the production of devices capable of robot-like functions. For example,
molecular sensing, logical computation and activation can now be achieved. This capability has
been used to generate simple two-dimensional structures, that direct the motion of robots
constructed from DNAzymes (DNA enzymes), to possible affected areas. (Douglas et al., 2012)
The primary idea behind the treatment of cancerous cells using nanotechnology is similar to the
use of nanotechnology against other viruses. Viruses (which are made of various combinations
of protein, nucleic acids, and lipids) are a good foundation for what constituents are compatible
while performing complex contacts between cells and the handling of them. Nanobots can thus
locate the regions of any damaged tissue and then deliver the antigen payloads. (Gray, 2012)
To summarize, when a nanobot is in the presence of a particular protein that can
identify cancer, the structure discharges a cancer-fighting antigen by unlocking itself. The
process is similar to the way viruses attack cells; the primary difference is that Nanobots, unlike
regular viruses, don't hijack the cell to reproduce.(Tucker, 2012, p.15)

1.2.2 NANOBOTS IN GENERAL MEDICINE

Nanobot R&D is currently heavily funded, and the fact that it may only be used in diseases that
sum up to less than 1 percent of the worlds current population(www.cancer.gov) simply proves
that its uses must be implemented in other fields in order to establish it as a field worth
pursuing.
For example, one very common ailment related to the middle aged working class is the building
up of cholesterol in blood vessels due to various reasons such as stress, unhealthy eating habits
and generally low activity/laziness. The clogging up of a blood vessel may lead to reduced blood
flow. If blood flow is completely stopped in an artery or a vein, it leads to the individual having
a stroke. In many cases strokes may lead to increased brain damage or (for every one of 18
cases) death. (American stroke association, 2012)

In the near future, Nanobots may be soon used to stop ones stroke completely, and once
again, technology will have actively facilitated in saving lives. The process will begin by injecting
a certain amount of Nanobots into ones bloodstream which will continuously run through the
circulatory system alongside regular blood cells. If the patient has a high build-up of cholesterol
in a certain blood vessel, there will be greatly reduced blood flow and the blood cells will begin
to crowd around the open space while the blood flow continues. The Nanobots will eventually
come into contact with the blocked blood vessel. The moment the Nanobots collide with the
particles of cholesterol, they will instantly bond with a single particle of about the same size as
the individual Nanobot and shall move on. This process will repeat until the blockage is cleared
and will allow in the successful prevention of a stroke. (Atkins, 2010)

CONCLUSION

To conclude, I would like to state my belief in Nanobots being imminent and can be expected in
the near future. It will soon be all around us, not only in medicine, but will further reach into
other commercial areas such as construction, computers and industrial mass production.
Moreover, it will be a worthwhile investment for research and development, especially for
students who are to divulge into research in the coming years, it will indeed be an area worth
pursuing.

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