Nano News - Morning Brew 7/16/19

Nano News In a perfect world, humans will be able to regrow lost organs and limbs, instantly cure diseases that cause years of pain today, and move away from intrusive methods of treatment. These possibilities hinge on the power to manipulate the human body at a level even deeper than the cell. Well, there's actually a term for that: nanomedicine. But first, we have to define nanotechnology, which is the manipulation of atoms and molecules up to 100 nanometers in size. For scale, a hydrogen atom is 0.1 nanometers; the width of a human hair is about 100,000; the diameter of Jupiter is—not even gonna go there.  Nanomedicine = nanotech + clinical applications, such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, diagnosis, and medical devices. After slow and steady research progress over the last few decades, nanomedicine is getting ready for its opening night. In the next decade, a wave of applications will allow doctors to provide personalized medicine, deliver drugs more effectively, limit harmful side effects, and potentially cure some of the most deadly afflictions.  By 2025, the field is expected to be worth $350.8 billion, mainly driven by therapeutics and diagnostics.  But there are still hurdles. Researchers are facing difficulties reproducing lab results in human patients, and the technology hasn't started scaling yet. Boil it down The promise: Targeted, personalized healthcare that will change diagnosis, drug delivery, and the overall patient experience.  The roadblocks: Nanomedicine still has to pay its dues in clinical trials and scale up its development and manufacturing pipelines.  The projected timeline: Early applications are already on the market. In the next decade, nanomedicine will be used to treat more serious medical conditions.  The major players: Most nanomedicine work is still being conducted in labs across academia and pharma, but it will soon graduate to doctors’ offices near you. You've been a great audience, so here's a bonus chart Can't say we never told you the length of an ant in nanometers.  Francis Scialabba

NANOMEDICINE Kiss Those Side Effects Goodbye

For patients, nanomedicine will usher in an era of care more personal than a sponge bath.  Take cancer, for example. Nanomedicine could help with early diagnosis and the delivery of more effective, localized treatment. It’s auditioning for the roles of... The smoke alarm: Nanomedicine can measure nanoparticles released by cancer cells in the bloodstream to figure out if the cancer is likely to spread.  The detective: It will test dozens (or hundreds) of cancer treatments on cultured cell samples to pinpoint the best course of treatment for an individual patient. The cruise missile: By injecting chemotherapy into nanoparticles that will only release their payload after reaching the cancer cells, you can spare other organs from damage.  The Trojan horse: Drugs masked with nanoparticles can slip past biological barriers into hard-to-reach areas of the body, like the brain.  But it’s not just cancer. Nanomedicine will allow doctors to treat a variety of serious medical conditions, potentially on an expedited timeline. There’s no question it will change the healthcare industry by increasing efficiency, cutting costs, and reshaping how drugs and devices are developed.

NANOMEDICINE Take the Leap

Sometimes the smallest things do pack the biggest punches. Check out our full write-up about how nanomedicine can transform your relationship with your doctor here.  If you’re excited and ready to learn more, check out these resources:  The Marvel Cinematic Universe has featured nanotechnology across its films, from shrinking Ant-Man and the Wasp to building super suits featured in Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Black Panther.  The AMA Journal of Ethics recently examined some of the ethical issues surrounding nanomedicine, including trackable pill technology and the right way to inform patients about nano-based medicines.  After entering a victim’s bloodstream, nanoprobes in Star Trek were used to take over host cell functions. A chemist and a venom expert (solid job title) are working together on hydrogel nanoparticles that could bind to and neutralize snake poison, according to the NYT.