Application of nanotechnology in the healthcare industry: part 6

Nanomaterials used in healthcare, diagnostics and biosensing

Carbon Nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes are some of the most extensively used nanomaterials in healthcare. Some of their applications in healthcare are in diagnostics, biosensors, cell labeling and tracking, tissue engineering and delivery of biomolecules and drugs [3,4]. Carbon nanotubes are made of one or more graphite layers that are concentric with caps made of fullerenic hemispheres. Some of the characteristics that make them well-suited to the various applications in healthcare include great thermal conductivity, low overvoltage, little surface fouling, unique structures, mechanical and electrical properties and a large surface to volume ratio. Sensors incorporating carbon nanotubes have been applied in heathcare, environmental monitoring, industries and food processing to detect analytes in a highly sensitive manner. When applied in electrochemical sensing, theier use have spanned from monitoring glucose and fructose to insulin, neurochemicals, cancer biological markers, DNA, microorganisms and many other types of biomolecules[5].

Graphene

Graphine is another nanomaterial that is used a lot in biosensing and diagnostics. Some of the desirable characteristics that make it ideal for such applications include high elasticity, great thermal conductivity, little impact on the environment, amazing mechanical strength, band gap and optical properties that are tunable, low production cost and being transparent. Some of the sensors where grapheme is employed are impendance, electrochemical, electroilluminescence and fluorescence biosensors. Some of the analytes detected successfully using grapheme include glucose, NADH, dopamine, heavy ions, cholesterol and hemoglobin to name but some[6,7].

Quantum dots

These are nanocrystals that are inorganic and mainly used in making optical biosensors. The characteristics that make them well-suited to such applications include great photochemical stability, broad excitation optical characteristics, minimal photobleaching and emission sprectra that is tunable. Some of the analytes they are great for detecting include analytes from pharmaceuticals, organic compounds, biomolecules and ions. Additionally, they have been successfully in the in vitro detection of cancer located in target sites. They have the potential of being the ideal solution formultiplexed optical biodetection and analysis. This is due to their properties such as being minituare, cost effective, quick detection of analytes, being highly specific, having amazing sensitivity and an emission wavelength dependent on size.

Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles are widely used in various healthcare applications. Some of their uses include diagnostics, biosensing, therapeutics, imaging and drug delivery. Among the characteristics and properties that make them well-suited to the various uses include being able to get desired properties by changing their shape and size and changing color when bound to different molecules.

Gold nanoparticles have been used successfully in the early detection of cancer and other conditions, photothermal therapy and development of immunoassays. Another application is the delivery of biomolecules, genes, DNA and drugs to tumor sites since they tend to accumulate in tumors [9].

Magnetic nanoparicles are used in diagnostics and biosensing to detect a wide array of analytes. Some of the analytes include drugs, pathogens, DNA, proteins and tumor cells [10].

Chitosan

Chitosan is being considered as the most optimal solution for integrating medical devices with biological parts and components. This is due to its properties such as being biodegradable, being nontoxic, transparency as well as biocompatible. It has been successfully used in electrochemical and optical biosensors. Other uses in healthcare include bioanalytics, lab on a chip devices, medical analysis and diagnostics [11,12,13].

Other nanomaterials used in healthcare, diagnostics and biosensing

There are other nanomaterials with varying applications in healthcare. Dendrimers have been successfully used in diagnostics, biosensing, catalysis, drug delivery and bioanalytics. Other nanomaterials include lipid films and vesicles, biomolucules, nanocrystals made of cellulose and nanocomposites.

Conclusion

Nanotechnology provides a novel approach to solving the many healthcare challenges currently facing the world. The technology is already in place to radically change and revolutionize healthcare. What is now needed is a regulatory framework and a way to get the technology in the market as soon as possible. Given it is only a matter of time before nanotechnology becomes a mainstream technology in various industries, the healthcare industry should stop resisting change and embrace the technology. Various stakeholders should therefore come together to ensure that the great advances being made in application of nanotechnology are commercialized and available to the masses as soon as possible. Various ways to ensure that the nanotechnology divide does not widen further especially in the area of nanotechnology should also be explored to ensure that the developing world is not left behind and loses out on these advances.

References

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