[tt] Nanorobot for drug delivery and diagnosis

[Eugen Leitl]

http://nanotechweb.org/cws/article/lab/32077

Nanorobot for drug delivery and diagnosis

In January, Adriano Cavalcanti and his colleagues are publishing a new paper
in Nanotechnology. We decided to ask him about his work and what is next in
the development of medical nanorobotics.

How can nanorobots be achieved?

In the same way microelectronics has provided new medical devices in the 80s,
now the miniaturization through nanotechnology is enabling the manufacturing
of nanobiosensors and actuators to improve cell biology interfaces and
biomolecular manipulation. Fully operational nanorobots for biomedical
instrumentation should be achieved as a result of nanobioelectronics and
proteomics integration.

Dr Adriano Cavalcanti

Tell us about your work and how simulation can help in machine prototyping?
The methodologies and the implemented 3D simulation described in our study
served as a test bed for molecular machine prototyping. The numerical
analysis and advanced simulations provided a better understanding on how
nanorobots should interact inside the human body. Hence, based on such
information, we have proposed the innovative hardware architecture with a
nanorobot model for use in common medical applications. The nanorobot takes
chemical and thermal gradient changes as interaction choices for in vivo
treatments. The use of mobile phones with RF is adopted in this platform as
the most effective approach for control upload, helping to interface
nanorobots communication and energy supply.

Nanobot sensor

What types of biomedical applications do you propose for this hardware
architecture?  The proposed platform should enable patient pervasive
monitoring, and details are given in prognosis with nanorobots application
for intracranial treatments. This integrated system also points towards
precise diagnosis and smart drug delivery for cancer therapy.

Drug delivery

What path are you taking to implement nanorobots?  The next steps in our work
can be defined as follows: (a) model manufacturing with CNT-CMOS biochip
integration; (b) laboratory studies for in vivo tests; and (c)
commercialization. The pipeline for development in the medical sector
typically requires research and efforts to get new ideas out of laboratories
and into the marketplace. For a therapeutic new drug, surgical devices or
even a simple new vaccine: time, resources and creativity are demanded to
make it happen. The rules are always the same and it would not be any
different for medical nanorobots. We are aware of it, and we are working
cooperatively to lead such a development.

About the author

Adriano Cavalcanti is CEO and chairman of CAN Center for Automation in
Nanobiotech. He has participated in several joint work collaborations for the
fast development of nanotechnology and biomolecular engineering automation.
He has been implementing nanobioelectronic architecture integration to use
nanorobots in diabetes, cancer, cardiology and aneurysm treatments. He is
working with CAN to provide new effective medical devices through the
development of commercial nanobiotechnology. For more information visit
www.nanorobotdesign.com or www.canbiotechnems.com.