By Amer Chaykhouny and Chanuda Edirisinghe
A sci-fi unimaginable idea or reality? Well, what I am about to talk about is nothing less than true, with the latest profound research on this emerging field, the world of medicine could advance to what it is like in the movies. To put the word “Nanorobot” in simple terms, it is a 0.1-10 micrometer long machine that operates micro-level tasks. In medicine, they are designed to execute processes such as delivering drugs to specific target tissue cells, kill cancer cells, and improve DNA sequencing in certain cells. Currently, there are three types of functioning nano-bots:
Biohybrid systems: use microorganisms as the engine of the nano-bots
Chemically powered: rely on chemical reactions to input energy and translate it into locomotion
Physically powered: trade external energy (e.g; magnetic, ultrasound, or light field) into motion by mechanical equations and models
Although nano-bots haven’t crossed the desired line yet, constant cumulative research attests to their rapid development.
A notable example of their usage is greatly found in vivo experiments, instead of using live organisms, showing advancements in the ability to deliver, heal, retain and perform biopsies (taking a sample of tissue from the body).
To go back to the beginning, “Nano-bots” were first discussed by the Physicist Richard Feyman in 1959, when he gave the talk “There’s plenty of room at the Bottom”.
At the time, he predicted their potential in curing heart diseases.
Following that mention, in the year 1986, “The engines of creation”, was printed by scientist Eric Drexler. However, the first-ever study was made by Robert Freitas, revealing a type of nano-bots called “respirocytes”, which are supposed to surpass the function of red blood cells in the body. Nevertheless, they are still very hypothetical, due to the inadequacy in manipulating a healthy immune response, less toxicity, and correct communication between other cells.
Nano-bots are made organically and inorganically. Whatever the material is, it depends on the surface proteins located on them; they determine the solubility and interactions with other macromolecules. Furthermore, their size and shape can influence how they move and react. Each material affects the nano-bot differently. For instance, silver causes the bot to have an antibacterial effect. Since we researched graphene, certain tests have shown that it can clean almost 95% of lead of wastewater in very short periods. This particular model of graphene nano-bots relies on the coating made from graphene oxide, to collect pollutants while having a nickel core, which allows control using magnetic influence; platinum coating also acts as an engine.
One thing that can be construed from the field of medicine is how specific it is. This means going after some cells in the body and not others. Which brings me to my next point, which is locating the problem. Because nano-bots are made of mainly a sensor and a motor, they need to be accurate. Sensors embedded in them are optical, magnetic, chemical, and biological. Nevertheless, sensors do two things to the surface, detecting the presence of the target molecules and indirectly know the amount of damage that exists from the change in the functional properties of the nano-bot.
In consequence, very accurate analysis and manipulation at an atomic level are achieved.
USES IN MEDICINE
Just like how we now can control drones, which work on rotors, one day a tiny analogous robot will be controlled inside of the human body. Moreover, it can be attached to wireless technology, to allow communication with scientists from outside the body. This could help change treatment methods if the disease has gotten worse, keeping the patient’s condition precisely updated. Having something that small in your body making changes is terrific... But let’s focus on the incredible options, that should appear to a patient, in the future.
These nano-bots can identify required cells out of millions, especially cancer cells.
Once they do, they attack them by releasing a drug only on them, which is a lot safer than chemotherapy which is usually administered through a vein, minimizing damage to other innocent cells. Also, nano-bots can implement necrosis, when a non-intrusive source of heating or stimulus is applied, such as super magnets that can rupture cancer cells within magnetic fields. With the combination of nano-medicine with immunotherapy, cancer cells can be contained while not stopping the growth of others, improving the treatment as a whole. Not to mention, nano-robots completely limit the need for incisions and surgery, due to easy administration around the body. Which conveys fewer infection chances, fewer scars created and less recovery time needed for the patient. As discussed above, nano-bots can be magnetically navigated, which can be viewed through an MRI or an Ultrasound, into target tissue through the bloodstream, finally reaching their desired location.
While working on killing cancer cells, they are simultaneously capable of taking biopsies, to help surgeons know more about cancerous cells and tumors.
Alternatively, the nano-bots agitate a removal of the blood supply into tumors, which slows down cancer spreads and eventually starving them to death.
Besides helping eliminate the world’s leading causes of death, which around 163.5 per 100,000 men and women per year (based on 2011-2015 cases) are diagnosed with, they are perfectly capable of digging out trouble elsewhere in the body. With the aid of nano-bots, unblocking arteries in heart diseases such as atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases like ischemia, is a walk in the park. They can break away fatty deposits (plaque) from blood vessels and on the other hand, in arrhythmia, treat the heart cells directly which puts an end to the need of pacemakers. If successfully designed, it will help patients live life worry-free without having to adjust their lifestyle. Additionally, this technology could be a candidate to treat demyelination, which still has an obscure treatment in our present day. Other brain diseases, like Alzheimer's, could be spotted by studying the amyloid protein β deposits around brain cells. Just like how some nano-bots clean large bodies of water, the idea of disinfection can also be imposed in the oral cavity, specifically in odontology, to destruct trapped bacteria and pathogens, working alongside toothpaste. Last but not least, in gene editing, where chromosomes and proteins within the two DNA strands can be switched and modified. Keep in mind, that those were only a few aspirations of nano-bots, the list doesn’t have to stop here, with new viruses and diseases popping up now and then, it could stop those too!
Although I have mentioned a lot of benefits, there are always drawbacks to anything exciting.
A risk to humans is oxidative stress, causing DNA damage.
Furthermore, the inability to control the movement of these nanoparticles throughout the body creates a risk that can reach undesirable locations and thus lead to side effects. Moreover, as already mentioned, one of the main characteristics of nanoparticles is that they can move through membranes. This can be a disadvantage, the unnecessary cross of barriers may be a trigger for inflammatory reactions. Unless further research is done to cancel these issues, nano-robots could be considered a gamble.
In summary, nano-bots are no longer to be a thing of the far future, but rather a sublime solution to arrive soon. There is already massive amounts of researches done in labs around the world, with some organizations even funding the development of the field of “Nano-science”, like the US 2020 president’s $1.4billion request. In nano-medicine, more effort is though required to ensure scientists reach a biocompatible result in curing everyday illnesses.
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