Molecular fabrications of smart nanobiomaterials and applications in personalized medicine

The Significance of Nanoparticles in Medicine and Their Potential Application in Asthma

“…Through the incorporation of genes, proteins and/or cells within nano-sized particle systems, it is proposed that human tissue may be regenerated following diseaseinduced injury (Koutsopoulos 2012 ). The ultimate goal in this area centres on the engineering of a nano-based scaffold that not only provides structural support for cell integration but also has the capacity to regulate cell proliferation, differentiation and migration to form functional tissue (McMahon et al 2012 ).…”

“…In order to achieve this, it is accepted that the scaffold must mimic the physiological and mechanical properties of the native microenvironment (Koutsopoulos 2012 ). The best illustration of this involves the regeneration of the skin's dermal layers following injury.…”

“…In an attempt to apply such a theory to current medical practice, nanoparticles are thought to have the potential to address many of the associated challenges. It requires the development of new materials by engineering molecules at the nanoscale which will interact with the diseased cells, organelles, and/or tissues (Koutsopoulos 2012 ). By focusing on the use of nanoparticles in the treatment of obstructive respiratory diseases including asthma, this chapter highlights the potential of nanomedicine, and provides the rationale to continue research in this highly evolving and exciting fi eld.…”

“…The application of nanoparticles in medicine involves diagnosis, treatment, disease prevention, reparation following injury, pain relief and the preservation and improvement of human health, using knowledge at the molecular level (Koutsopoulos 2012 ). Nanoparticles, sized between 1 and 200 nm are defi ned as small molecular units of compound which behave with distinct biological activity (Jiang et al 2008 ).…”

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“…In the case of nanomaterials, because of their size, nanoscale materials have some different chemical and physical properties from bulk material. Researchers have capitalized on these qualities of nanomaterials for effective improvements in drug delivery, cancer cell targeting via protein and small molecule binding, intracellular drug release, ex vivo diagnostic applications, imaging, and combination therapies including theranostic integration of molecular imaging with drug delivery [2]. Nanoparticle formulations can reduce or eliminate systemic toxicities by delivering drugs specifically to cancerous tissues through size mediated passive targeting and physiologically mediated active targeting; they can improve early detection through targeted delivery of molecular imaging agents to tumors for improved diagnostic imaging and intraoperative imaging to guide surgical removal of cancerous cells; they can address drug resistance through the delivery of multiple drugs or complimentary treatments such as RNA interference [1].…”