Nanotubes made of carbon cylinders about a nanometre in diameter which are single walled have been highly touted for potential applications such as ultra strong fibers, electrical wires in molecular devices, or hydrogen storage components for fuel cells which can also be used in the detection and destruction breast cancer cells.

HER2 is one of a family of genes that help regulate the growth and proliferation of human cells. Normal cells have two copies of HER2, but about 20 to 25 percent of breast cancer cells have multiple copies of the gene, resulting in the overproduction of a HER2-encoded protein. These multiple copies of HER2 tumors can successfully tracked and destroy by adding chicken immunoglobulin IgY antibody to nanotubes.

The two unique optical properties of carbon nanotubes allow this link to be exploited for improved detection and destruction of HER2 breast cancer cells. Near-infrared laser light at a wavelength of 785 nanometers reflects intensely off the nanotubes, and this strong signal is easily detected by a technique called Raman spectroscopy. Increase the laser light’s wavelength to 808, nanometers and it will be absorbed by the nanotubes, incinerating them and HER2 tumor cells to which they are attached and the wide genetic differences between human and avian species means that the chicken IgY antibody to HER2 reacts strongly with the target protein expressed on tumor cells while ignoring normal cells with other human proteins. The carbon nanotubes attached to the antibodies also become linked to the HER2 tumors.

Although this finding is in its infancy, scientist can see the future potential of this new technology. The next step for the research team is to see it working works with animals starting with mouse trails.

The Studies shows that Titanium dioxide nanoparticles, witch are light sensitive particles which are used in sunscreens can destroy cancer cells when it is exposed to ultraviolet light. Even if it is effective in destroying caner cells scientists had difficulties in getting nanoparticles, each about 1 by 50,000th the width of a human hair, to target and enter cancer cells while avoiding healthy cells.

The  solution involves chemically linked titanium dioxide nanoparticles to an antibody that recognizes and attaches to GMB cells. The nanoparticles killed up to 80 percent of the brain cancer cells after 5 minutes of exposure to focused white light.The positive result of these experiments are a good hope for brain cancer treatment.

Source of information http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-09/nu-pon090109.php

This new therapy depend on a two pronged approach. Titanium dioxide is a versatile photoreactive nanomaterial that can be bonded with biomolecules. Nanoparticles recognise and bind specifically to cancer cells when it is linked to an antibody. Focused visible light is shined onto the affected region, and the localized titanium dioxide reacts to the light by creating free oxygen radicals that interact with the mitochondria in the cancer cells. Mitochondria act as cellular energy plants, and when free radicals interfere with their biochemical pathways, mitochondria receive a signal to start cell death.

With this method it is possible to effectively attack the cancer which invade surrounding healthy cells using titanium dioxide unlike other cancer treatments like  radiotherapy and chemotherapy. But so far the tests have been done only on cells in a laboratory setting, animal testing is yet to be done and is planned for the next phase. Results show an almost 100 percent cancer cell toxicity rate after six hours of illumination, and 80 percent after 48 hours  and also other types of  cancers can be cured as well using different targeting molecules, but research is in the early stages.

Reffed form http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl901610f

Wounds made in mice stomatches healed without scarring the tissue when the researchteam applied sheets to incisions. Findings were published in the journal Advanced Materials. Shinji Takeoka, professor in the Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience at Waseda University said, “This new approach would constitute a perfect candidate for an alternative to conventional suture/ligation procedures, from the perspective not only of a minimally invasivesurgical technique but it can also reduce the operation times,” The nanosheets which is only about 20 nanometers in thickness could be used for general wound dressing, but will also be very useful in endoscopic surgery, plasticsurgery  and regenerative medicine. Clinical trials could still be several years away.

Courtesy : http://www.plasticsurgerypractice.com/eReport/2009-08-17_05.asp

Gene therapy with the aid of nanotechnology  can cure ovarian cancer, experiment conducted by US Researchers was able to deliver tiny synthetic particles carrying a payload of toxin worked as well as chemotherapy at killing ovarian cancer in mice without side effects. The  highlights of the study is the potential of nanotechnology in the design and manipulation of tiny synthetic particles, as a non viral way of getting DNA into cells, in the past there were interesting success with viruses but there are some safety concerns with Viruses. When they injected the treatment into the abdominal cavity of animals with ovarian cancer, it worked as well or better than the traditional chemotherapy drug combination of cisplatin and paclitaxel, which can cause DNA damage and a variety of side effects.

The Scientists tested different compounds until they found a biodegradable polymer that made a suitable delivery vehicle.To form the nanoparticle, the polymers are mixed with a gene that produces a modified form of the diphtheria toxin which is harmful only to ovarian cancer cells.

Use of nanotechnology for delivering drugs to cure ovarian cancer in humans is still have to be tested, researchers are planning to conduct test in humans within a year. if this test work it will be a promise for a new treatment for ovarian cancer, which kills thousands of woman all around the world.

The “trojan horse” therapy has the potential to directly target cancer cells with chemotherapy, rather than the current treatment that sees chemotherapy drugs injected into a cancer patient and attacking both cancer and healthy cells.

We talked a lot about nanotechnology, cloning etc, But today I like to talk about a new idea, is it possible to convert a disease causing virus, amoeba or a bacteria into a nano doctor? and My answer is yes it is very much possible to alter the gene of a virus and converting into an army of life saving microdoctors. The navigation of microdoctors are easy because it can consciously get into human cells, there microdoctors can even get into cytoplasm of cells and eat away or neutralize the disease casing chemicals and proteins created inside our DNA. Also these microdoctors can alter the negative disease causing  factors inside human genome.

The Virus which cause deadly diseases like AIDS can one day cure the same diseases, humans will posses technology to alter the characters of these viruses and can direct them into the virus infected body to fight against the bad viruses that cause deceases.

I can see a huge potential in this area, the same single celled deadly creature who terrorised human race for the past centuries  can one day be tamed into life saving friendly microdoctors.

Brain implants are used to aid people suffering from Parkinson’s disease, depression and epilepsy, these implants with newly discovered micro electrodes are capable of communicating with individual neurons and to stimulate brain neurons with electrical impulses. The micro electrodes are also capable of  The current  devices usually wont last longer, its efficiency deteriorate after few months, but the new nanotechnology aided devices are expected to last at least two years

According to research team the new  coating is made of three compounds

1. A special electrically conductive nanoscale polymer called PEDOT
2. A gel like natural buffer alginate hydrogel
3. Nanofibers which is biodegradable, loaded with a controlled release anti inflammatory drug.

PEDOT polymer coating gives less electrical resitance to the micro electrodes which helps them to communicate more clearly with the neurons thus giving a big advantage over the current models.

Alginate hydrogel is capable of giving mechanical property to electrodes which is much similar to natural brain tissue and it is much superior than the current one.

Biodegradable nanofibers fight encapsulation  that occurs when the immune system tells the body to envelop foreign materials. Encapsulation is another reason these electrodes can stop functioning properly. The nanofibers fight this response well because they work with the alginate hydrogel to release the anti inflammatory drugs in a controlled, sustained way as the nanofibers themselves break down.

This dicovery is belived to assist  the  treatment for deafness, paralysis, blindness, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. Another feather in the cap of nanotechnology and health care.

Human body is having a network of blood streams that connects every part of our body ( capillaries and arteries ) this is a potential pathway for nanobots that can swim through human body to other for completing their assigned mission.

Wifi Guided nanobots

Wireless technology can be used for guiding nanobots through human body and to monitor their works. one thing scientists have to make sure before making such a system is to take care of the radiation aspects of wireless technology, it have to be safe for our human body.

Magnetic Fields for mobilizing nanobots

Magnetic fields can be used to to navigate nanobots from one part of body to another, the risk fator is less compared to wireless radiations.