NNANOBIOLOGYANOBIOLOGY-Where Nanotechnology and Biology Come Together

NanotechnologyNanotechnology The postulated ability to

manufacture objects and structures with atomic precision, literally atom by atom. This would mirror the abilities of living cells.

Collection of molecular scale manufacturing systems

Multi-disciplinarian, system level arena of scientific and technical development

Many fundamental biological functions are carried out by molecular machineries that have the sizes of 1-100 nmeg., ribosomes, enzymes, nuclear pore etc.,Movements, shapes, localizationMerges mechanistic biology and morphology

Nanobiology

ApplicationsApplications• Nanoscale sensors-

determine defective cells

• Protein nanoarrays • Proteins transformed

into sophisticated 'biosensors’

• Carbon nanofibers• World's smallest

biological computing device-enzymes and DNA in salt water

• Nanoflowers

NanomedicineNanomedicineMonitoring, repair, construction and

control of human biological systems at the molecular level

Offshoot of nanotechnologyHighly specific medical intervention at the

molecular scaleCovers nanoparticle drug deliveryCloning, especially Paleocloning eg., Huia bird, Asia Gaur etc.,

Nanomedicine (contd..)Nanomedicine (contd..)Artificial cells are, basically, artificial

microscopic structures about the same size as biological cells and having some of the functional properties of biological cells.

Useful as a partial substitute for human cells and organs.

Nanorobots - the ultimate medical devices of the near future….

NanorobotsNanorobotsMicron-scale robot assembled from nanoscale parts

Principal element-Carbon

-tremendous strength

-chemical inertness

•Watertight and airtight

•Different shapes and sizes for different tasks

•Exfuse themselves from the body via the usual human excretory channels

Nanorobots (contd..)Nanorobots (contd..)• Diamond surface- passive, hydrophobic• Have no artificial intelligence• metabolize local glucose and oxygen for energy• Communication using acoustic signals• Identify cells based on surface antigens• Use C13-monitor by MRI• Identifying and isolating Cancer cells• Better than Radiation Therapy, Chemotherapy• Can be used to treat Vascular disease, physical

trauma, even biological aging

Would totally change the world of medicine once it is realized

No actual working nanorobot has yet been built !!!

RECENT ADVANCEMENTSRECENT ADVANCEMENTS

Nanocontainers Deliver Drugs Nanocontainers Deliver Drugs Directly to Cells Directly to Cells

•20 to 45 nanometers in dia

•Hydrophobic, hydrophilic

•Forms micelle

•Reach Golgi apparatus, mitochondria

•Administer small doses efficiently

NeurochipsNeurochips

Interfaces neurons with electronics

Integrate immature neurons into small wells etched into a silicon substrate

Potential applications - Neural prosthetics, sensory enhancement systems etc.,

Molecular protein "snippets" induced into bonding with a receptor site

• Nanocomputer CPU -size of a single cell

-less power wastage, more efficient than human brain

• Eliminate virtually all common diseases

• Dawn of a new era of peace…..

REFERENCESREFERENCES• http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org• http://www.sciam.com• http://www.biota.org/ostman/nchip.htm• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Molecular_nanotechnology• http://www.foresight.org/

Nanomedicine/ • http://www.nanotechweb.org/