Nanotechnology is one of the most fascinating fields in science. We’re just beginning to understand its potential. The most exciting new development in nanotechnology is called ‘nano biotics’. It’s been heralded as a breakthrough by some and criticized by others. Everyone agrees that nano biotics are an incredible scientific achievement, but what does it actually mean for us? Nano biotics can’t be seen with the naked eye — they’re so small, less than .001 microns. They are on a completely different scale from everything we’re used to. When you think about this at this scale, nothing seems impossible anymore. This is where doctors believe that nanobiotics will revolutionize medicine, enabling them to address any disease or condition in whatever way they desire.
Nanobiotics are tiny particles that combine the properties of both biology and technology.
Nanobiotics are tiny particles that combine the properties of both biology and technology. Scientists believe nanobiotic technology can be used to help diagnose and treat diseases, as well as replace damaged or missing body parts. Using nanobiotics, doctors may one day be able to repair a patient’s heart without making incisions, or even reverse aging in the brain.
But what are nanobiotics? How do they work? Where did they come from? And where do we go from here?
Nanobiotics began to take shape in 1991, when Nobel Prize winner Kary Mullis invented PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technology. PCR allowed scientists to copy DNA like never before. The technique was so powerful it could replicate DNA from a single cell into billions of copies.
The process works by splitting a strand of DNA in half and copying each side separately. The copy is then split again and copied, repeating the process over and over until there are billions of copies of the original strand of DNA.
How Big Are Nanobiotics?
A nanobiotic is a nanorobot designed to detect and destroy pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites) or tumors.
Nanobiotics can be injected into the bloodstream and programmed to target only specific cells such as cancerous cells.
They can enter the bloodstream unharmed in their dormant state because they are too small to be noticed by the immune system.
Once they reach their destination, they transform into their active form. This is when they have enough energy to seek out specific cells and destroy them.
They are programmed to target specific cells and then self-destruct once they have done their job so that they do not harm healthy tissue.
What Can Nanobiotics Do For Me?
By now, nanobiotics are well into their third decade of development. Many possible applications have been proposed and tested, but the majority haven’t yet made it to market.
Research is ongoing in applications ranging from cosmetics to surgery to treating cancer and more. However, a few key applications are already being used on a limited basis:
Biosensors. A biosensor detects the presence of a molecule and transmits that information electrically. This can be useful for monitoring blood glucose levels for people with diabetes, for instance. The electrical signal can be read by an app or other device that lets you know when you need to take insulin.
Drug delivery systems. In a drug delivery system, nanoparticles protect medication from the body’s defenses until it reaches its target. This can allow treatments to reach their target cells more precisely and without being broken down elsewhere in the body before they do so.
Cancer treatment. Nanobiotics show promise in fighting cancer as well as many other medical conditions that have proven difficult to treat using conventional medications.
Side-Effects & Myths
The side effects of nanobiotics are still a matter of debate, but in general they are thought to cause no adverse reactions. Since they serve as carriers for the active ingredients in pharmaceutical medicines, they are unlikely to generate any side effects that are not related to the drug itself.
There is some speculation that they could cause allergic reactions or lead to organ toxicity, but there is little evidence to support this claim. In fact, evidence suggests that nanobiotics actually improve the targeting and delivery of drugs, providing more effective treatment for patients
The Bottom Line
Nanobiotics are the future of healthcare. These tiny robots can enter your body and get to work helping you or patching you up.
The technology is still in development, but we’re getting there. For example, a team at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology recently developed a nanobiotic that can detect cancer cells in the liver and release drugs directly into them.
Another research group at the University of California developed nanoparticles that can monitor the average glucose levels of diabetics through their tears. This is a far more comfortable and accurate method than regular blood tests.
Nanobiotics will allow us to detect diseases earlier and treat them more effectively than ever before. As time goes on, nanotechnology will be able to diagnose, prevent, and treat even more conditions.
Nanotubes are a few nanometers in diameter and have walls that are only one atom thick. A single nanorod can be over ten millimeters long, yet it is only a few nanometers across. Nanobots could swim around inside your body, performing tasks like healing wounds. They might also be able to fight disease by attacking bacteria and viruses where they live. Nanobots could travel throughout the human body and repair cells that are damaged or diseased. They might even be able to convert food directly into energy for cells rather than storing it as fat.
Nanobiotics have been tested in various areas and they have proven successful in treating cancer, heart disease, arthritis and many other diseases. The technology is still being developed, but it is already clear that nanobiotics will play a significant role in improving health care around the world.
