Resources
Objectives
Researchers in nanomedicine work in interdisciplinary teams to develop novel and much improved techniques of diagnosis, treatment, and repair through the application of nanotechnology, the science and engineering of tiny materials and devices that can work on the scale of the molecules and cells that make up our bodies. All these new nanomedicine materials, devices and techniques need to go through years of testing to prove that they are safe as well as effective.
Nanomedicine is the applicaton of nanotechnology to medicine.
Nanotechnology is the science of the small and the engineering and applications of very small structures.
The building blocks are molecules and atoms.
Most of the components of our cells are nanoscale objects.
Nanomedicine researchers develop tiny tools that can work with extreme precision at the nanoscale.
Nanotechnology has created many materials with unique and distinctive features - providing a new "toolbox" to try to address many medical needs. These include delivering drugs to the right place and avoiding biological barriers.
These challenges require the coordinated efforts of interdisciplinary teams - many such teams are already at work.
Each technique will need to go through years of testing to ensure that it will work and that it will be safe.
Credits
Developed with support from 3 sources: the NIH NCRR SEPA program; the NISE Network (NSF ESI 0532536); and the Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing (NSF 0425826). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this product are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF, NIH or CHN.
Museum of Science, Boston