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Nanotechnology : Science, Engineering, And Medicine

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Individuals in the twenty-first century live in a technology-based society that is revolutionizing lifestyles with medical, industrial, and environmental improvements. Nanotechnology, being one of the century’s popular technologies, is the research and application of miniscule objects in fields ranging from engineering to chemistry. It is conducted at a nanoscale system—a scale that is 1000 times smaller than the components currently used in the microelectronics field (“What is Nanotechnology?”). This technology has led to life-changing developments in the biomedical field, which is a combined area of science, engineering, and medicine, and is applied to molecular imaging, molecular diagnosis, as well as targeted therapy (Nie). A targeted …show more content…

Sun protection treatment was developed at the University of Queensland, Australia, with the cooperation of scientists named Elizabeth H. Blackburn and Coral W. Greider (Jabbari et al.). It can treat a form of skin cancer known as melanoma if “specific types of cells [are tagged to nanoparticles] . . . [The cells can be conjugated] to target agents designed to recognize cell-specific surface proteins” (Jabbari, et al.). Nanoparticles attached to ultraviolet (UV) substances such as zinc oxide and titanium oxide can be manufactured, and thus targeted to skin cell surface proteins. These cells can then be coated with sunscreen at a nanoscale (Jabbari, et al.). However, the product is theoretical because recent works have not specified the type of cells that will be used in product. They may not be related to skin cells (Jabbari, et al.). Should this preventive cancer therapy be turned into a reality, it would be invaluable to society because diffraction, which causes more widespread damage to skin, would be eliminated. Conversely, Abraxane and Doxil are real products because they have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and have actually benefitted cancer patients. Abraxane and Doxil were developed by Abraxis BioScience and Janssen Products with the contribution of Daniel D. Von Hoff and Dr. Alberto Gabizon, respectively (“Featured

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