ABSTRACT
Even though nanotechnology has received a relatively recent expansion in the scientific area, the development of its central principles happened long ago. Chapter 1 includes the scientific basis and definitions of nanoscience, nanotechnology and nanomedicine, followed by a brief summary of the temporal evolution of the nanotechnology applied to medical science from the beginning to our days. The genesis of nanotechnology was traced from the Greek philosopher Democritus, who proposed the first atomic model during 460 – 370 BC, to Richard P. Feynman, who showed us a promise of revolutionary advances beyond communications, technology and medicine, and Norio Taniguchi, who was the first to suggest the term “nanotechnology” to describe semiconductor processes occurring with precision at the level of about one nanometer, and finally to the present day, where scientists and engineers are effectively taking control of individual atoms and molecules to add innovative functionalities to any product or device.
