Medical Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine (Perspectives in Nanotechnology)

Nanotechnology is the art and science of manipulating nanometer scale (1–100 nm) materials in a realm where quantum physics effects are usually important. In other words, nanotechnology is primarily the engineering of molecular systems. Nanotechnology is a particularly varied scientific field, ranging from variations on existing products like paint and sunscreen to radical, but as yet largely unproven (outside of nature), design approaches based on molecular self-assembly. The related field of nanomedicine is concerned with the medical applications of nanotechnology, such as the development of clinically useful nanomaterials, nano-sized biosensors, drug delivery using polymer-based nanoparticles and other methods, and molecular approaches to detecting and treating disease. Other problems for nanomedicine involve understanding the toxicity and environmental impact of nanoscale materials, as well as the use of nanotechnology to improve diagnostic imaging and for cancer treatment. Given that nanomedicine involves the application of fields as diverse as quantum physics, materials science, organic chemistry, molecular biology, semiconductor electronics, microfabrication, and mathematics, one might imagine that finding a good introductory presentation on this topic would be impossible. Fortunately, Tibbals’ book is up to the challenge. The book is divided into 3 major parts. The first part, consisting of 3 chapters, is largely introductory in nature, including a historical perspective, while the last part, also 3 chapters, provides a commentary on anticipated future directions as well as a discussion on social implications. However, for most readers, it will be the middle part (consisting of 6 chapters) that will be of principal interest, because it covers the bulk of current developments including nanoparticles for imaging and drug delivery, applications of nanotechnology in reconstructive intervention and surgery, for tissue regeneration, tissue replacement and prosthetics, and the development of nanosensors for diagnosis and medical monitoring. As befits an introductory book, the presentation is more comprehensive than deep and should be readily accessible to both the patient physician and the intelligent layman. Some advanced readers may find that the presentation is insufficiently technical as might be appropriate for a graduate level bioengineering textbook. However, each chapter contains a particularly rich selection of references for those readers interested in pursuing a particular topic in detail. Some other readers may find themselves disappointed in the limited treatment of DNA-related nanotechnology, a fascinating topic that arguably merits an entire separate chapter. Yet others will be surprised that Drexler’s concept of a molecular assembler and the related debate about its ultimate feasibility is not discussed, along with the expected discussion of how ribosomes function as molecular (protein) assemblers in nature. Perhaps these and other topics will be addressed in the next edition of the book (should the author and publisher be so inclined) because a fast-moving field like nanomedicine certainly deserves timely updates. In conclusion, this book provides a well-written, very well-referenced, modestly illustrated, and clinically focused evaluation of the current state of nanomedicine and its future prospects. Highly recommended. D. John Doyle, MD, PhD Department of Anaesthesiology Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio [email protected]