BIO 110 - Introduction to Modern 

Biology

Nanotechnology Engineering

Instructor name: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pelin Mutlu

Submission Date: 07.05.2019

Buğra Böke 13675013084

Can Ünal 39172948216

Defne Şahal 28552496898

Deniz Dağlar 49573285902

Ezgi Kurşun 43519520638

İrem Nur Köse 70357051086

  What is Nanotechnology ?
Nanotechnology is science, engineering, and technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is
about 1 to 100 nanometers. It is the study and application of extremely small things and can
be used across all the other science fields, such as chemistry, biology, physics, materials
science, and engineering.

The concepts behind nanotechnology started with a talk entitled “There’s Plenty of Room at
the Bottom” by physicist Richard Feynman at an American Physical Society meeting at the
California Institute of Technology (CalTech) on December 29, 1959, long before the term
nanotechnology was used. In his talk, Feynman defined a process in which scientists would be
able to manage and control individual atoms and molecules. Over 10 years later, in his
researches of ultraprecision machining, Professor Norio Taniguchi coined the term
nanotechnology. It wasn't until 1981, with the improvement of the scanning tunneling
microscope that could "see" individual atoms, that modern nanotechnology began.
  What is Biology ?
Biology is the basic science which examines living or fossil life, life process of living things
and life with all physico-chemical aspects.

 Relationship between Nanotechnology and Biology

Nanotechnology is a word that is more frequently in use in medicine and surgery, as

developers find new ways to use these particles to their benefit. There are many interesting
developments in nanotechnology in biology all of which have significant implications for the
field.

 Protein Detection: There are a few microscopic tools in protein detection using gold
particles and dyes. These particles can bind to the offending cells and show up in
scans or with cameras. The problem is that they can often be limited in their
efficiency. Nanotechnology can take this to a new level with Nano probes that target
the proteins more accurately, dispersing gold, dyes and perhaps both. This may sound
like science fiction to some, with some curiosity about the practical implications.

 Cancer Therapy: There are many new developments in screening and treatment
options for colon and prostate cancer that include nanotechnology. The aim is to
enhance the potential of photodynamic cancer therapy by highlighting the cells to be
then targeted by the lasers. The more accurate the detection rate, the more effective the
 treatment. Nanotechnology can increase the chances of dyes and gold particles
reaching the cancer cell. This means greater detection rates, which make it easy to
catch the problem and treat it faster. This could help to reduce prostate and colon
cancer mortality rates.

 Multicolor Optical Coding: Color coding is an important part of genetics when

determining a sequence. It provides a visual map of genes and proteins that makes it
much easier to identify sequences, defects, and anomalies. The problem with the old
system of dyes is that there were only so many colors to use in a series. The
development of nanotechnology and colored particles has changed that. This new
system uses a series of the compound semiconductor to manipulate more freely and
combine to form new patterns and colors. There are even fluorescent options available
for a different tone and level of visibility. Recent studies showed a range of colors and
intensities that allowed for more than a million coding combinations. This means a
bead identification accuracy of 99.99%.

 Cell Manipulation: The beauty of a human-made nanoparticle is that they are now
crafted from materials best suited to the job, with the right properties. Some use
capsules to transport and disperse items to a particular area of the body. Others use
magnetism to use those particles to manipulate the shape of cells. The impact of the
particles and the magnetic force can be fine-tuned using different ranges and thickness
of metal. It is not just the biological cells under manipulation here but the technology
itself. It is adaptive and mobile. This is ideal for dealing with issues case by case,
rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to health care. This is clearly an area with room
for further improvement and we are probably yet to see the full implications.

 Drug Delivery: One application of nanotechnology in medicine currently being

developed involves employing nanoparticles to deliver drugs, heat, light or other
substances to specific types of cells (such as cancer cells). Particles are engineered so
that they are attracted to diseased cells, which allows direct treatment of those cells.
This technique reduces damage to healthy cells in the body and allows for earlier
detection of disease.
  The Future Of Nanotechnology

For many, nanotechnology is a wonderful window into the future of biomechanics and
medicine. The nature of the science and the minute details mean that this seems like a
technology that should be out of reach.

The truth is that the models described above are all functional and in continued development.
This means that there is plenty of room for future ventures with drug delivery system and cell
targeting to make them even more efficient and effective.

Also, there are hopes that these focused devices could become multi-functional with different
processes and medical benefits. The world of nanotechnology in medicine is now open, and
there is a lot more to learn.

 REFERENCES

 Brown, A. 2017. 6 of the Best Applications of Nanotechnology In Biology And

Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.nanotechetc.com/6-of-the-best-applications-of-
nanotechnology-in-biology-and-medicine/

 Wong, I. Y. , Bhatia, S. N. , Toner, M. Nanotechnology: emerging tools for biology

and medicine. 2013. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press