Nanotechnology
What if doctors could search out and destroy the first cancer cells before a tumor develops. What if they could block the helper T cells that deliver HIV? What if surgeons could repair cells in damaged organs without the risking the life of the patient? What if they could prevent the common cold. What would the world be like with nanomedice?
Nanomedicine is the medical application of nanotechnology. The possible uses of it range from detecting cancer cells, repairing damaged organs, and preventing viruses, bacteria, and parasites from planting themselves in the human body. Nanotechnology is also useful in the delivery of certain drugs, sending them directly to the cells in need. This is called bioavailability, defined as the degree and rate at which a drug is absorbed into a living system or is made available (Citation 1). With this, scientists can apply drugs to certain areas of the body affected by cancer cells, or other viruses.
How did it begin?
Since the invention of microscopes, scientific knowledge of the human body has dramatically increased. Now, doctors can see subtle changes in blood sugar, the nervous system, and can detect when certain diseases have infiltrated the body. Nanomedicine, however, will enhance it further. Since nanomedicine is new, it has a brief history, most of which is the invention of several devices that allow scientists to view the human body at a microscopic level (Citation 2). That being said, nanomedicine has great potential, but it still has a long way to go before becoming a recognized science.