ABSTRACT
Nanotechnology represents the possibility of revolutionising many aspects of our lives. Nanomedicine, the application of nanotechnology to health, is one of the most promising fields of biomedical research, building up a novel research culture by encompassing the principles of traditional disciplinary boundaries (i.e., physics, chemistry, biology and engineering). Nanomedicine has the potential to give intelligent solutions to many of the current medical problems, by opening the door to a new generation of advanced drug delivery systems, improved diagnostic systems (in vitro and in vivo) and novel methods and materials for regenerative medicine. There are currently two families of therapeutic nanocarriers (i.e., liposomes and albumin nanoparticles) that have been approved and used in clinical settings, providing clinical benefit. Moreover, several nanocarriers are in clinical trials and even more are in pre-clinical
phases. Despite the cutting-edge developments in nanomedicine, the process of converting basic research to viable products is expected to be long and ambitious. A crucial factor that should also be taken into consideration is the toxic effects of the novel therapeutical products in human health. Thus, a massive effort is required to translate laboratory innovation to the clinic and begin to change the landscape of medicine. 1.1 Introduction Richard Feynman in 19591 was the first one to claim that ‘there is plenty of room at the bottom’, and since then, a booming interest in studying the nanoscale has emerged. The nano prefix comes from the Greek word ‘Nano’ meaning dwarf, with 1 nanometre (nm) being equal to one billionth of a metre (10-9 m), or 10 water molecules, or about the width of six carbon atoms. Atoms are smaller than 1 nm, whereas many molecules, including proteins, can range in size from 1 nm to several hundreds, as shown in Fig. 1.1.2 Studying at such scales is of great importance, as the properties of matter differ significantly, especially due to quantum effects and the large surfaceto-volume atom ratio. As a result, new findings arise, contributing to a better understanding of science.
