Nanotechnology Revolution To Be Spearheaded By European Union

Nanotechnology involves using tiny particles for treatment of diseases. ‘Nano’ refers to billionth of a unit. European countries are to use Nanotechnology for treatment of fatal diseases, which will help to reduce the cost of healthcare . European Union to develop Nanotechnology in the next 10 years which will help to cure diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes, Cancer, HIV infection, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Six billion dollars (4.84 billion euros) are invested in nanotechnology around the world every year. Nanosciences is the birth of a new medical technology which augments various fields of physics, chemistry, mechanics, biology and electronics offering better treatment options at an affordable cost.

Nanotechnology works by activating small and tiny particles present in the body, it activates proteins, DNA, Viruses and antibodies and induces them to fight against the diseases. Nanoparticles can go "everywhere in the body -- they can overcome barriers to hit places that conventional treatments can't reach," including the brain, said Patrick Boisseau of the Electronics Technology Information Laboratory in Grenoble, southeast France. The key is to "direct them correctly," Boisseau said. "It opens up infinite possibilities for medicine but the revolution will be gradual... It takes 10 years to produce a new medicine. We won't go faster, even if the pharmaceutical companies would like to shorten the wait," he added.

Using Nanotechnology, the cost of hospitalization and surgery will be reduced. Hospitals will continue to treat difficult cases but many patients would be able to recover at home, lowering costs. Leonard Fass, representative of General Electric Healthcare, said: "The hospital of the future will receive patients holding a badge with their updated medical dossier." Patients can receive tailor-made treatment and there is less risk of doctors making mistakes, Fass said.

The Cornea Engineering Project sponsored by European Union is aimed at restoring eyesight to thousands of patients with impaired eyesight. The technology works by rearranging a eye protein which could restore to natural cornea offering a perfect eyesight. This technique is better than transplants as it does not involve tissue rejection. The project could help the 28,000 people each year in the EU that have cornea operations. The EU has already spent 2.56 million euros (3.17 million dollars) on the project out of a total budget of 4.37 million euros (5.41 million dollars). Knee Nanotechnology project aims at restoring knee injury which is offered in Edinburgh. Cancer Nanotechnology project under the supervision of Doctor Andreas Jordan, Head of Magforce Nanotechnology, Berlin is working on insertion of ‘Nano’ cells directly into the cancer cells, by which it is made to burst.