Nano medicine

Question 1

List several types of nano materials used in nanomedicine

Answer 1

1. Quantum dots
2. Nanoshells
3. Nanowire sensor (Silcon Nanowire)
4. Carbon Nanotube
5. Nanoscale Cantilevers
6. Photonic crystals

Question 2

State the advantages of nanoscale devices in medicine

Answer 2

• Devices smaller than 50 nm can easily enter most cells
• Devices smaller than 20 nm can transit out of blood vessels
• Devices are capable of holding thousands of small molecules

Question 3

What areas of medicine does nanomedicine cover?

Answer 3

• Prevention and control of disease
  *Early detection of disease
• Imaging diagnostics
• Multifunctional Therapeutics

Question 4

State the properties of quantum dots that make them suitable contrast agents for imaging diagnostics

Answer 4

unique optical and electronic properties such as:
* size and composition
* tuneable fluorescence emission from visible to infrared wavelengths
* large absorption coefficients across a wide spectral range
* and very high levels of brightness and photo stability
* colloidal quantum dots are the size of a typical protein

Question 5

Apart from imaging diagnostics, what else are quantum dots used for?

Answer 5

Tumor targeting

Question 6

Apart from quantum dots, what other nanoscale devices could be used for imaging diagnostics?

Answer 6

photonic crystals

Question 7

What are nanoshells and what are they used for?

Answer 7

Nanoshells are spherical particles consisting of a dielectric core surrounded by a thin metallic shell, most commonly gold.

There are two types of nanoshells: oxide nanoshells (e.g., hollow silica
nanoshells) and metal nanoshells (e.g., gold and silver nanoshells).

After systemic injection of nanoshells and accumulation at the tumor site, near infrared light is applied over the tumor region. The absorbed energy causes the nanoshells to heat, allowing local destruction of the tumor tissue.

Question 8

What are silicon nano wires used for?

Answer 8

Silicon Nanowire used in biological sensors, chemical sensors, logic devices, and flash memory, as field-effect transistors, metal-
insulator semiconductors, and nanoelectronic storage devices

Question 9

What are carbon nanotubes used for?

Answer 9

Carbon Nanotube to make plastic
composites with enhanced electrical
conductivity and mechanical
strengthvehicles for targeted drug-
delivery and nerve cell regeneration

Question 10

What are nanoscale cantilevers used for?

Answer 10

Cantilevers can be used
as detectors of molecules.
In this example specific
molecules are attached to
the cantilevers. The
molecules selected are
molecules that will bind to
a specific molecule. When
that molecule binds to the
cantilever it changes the
physical properties of the
cantilever and that change
can be detected.