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Introduction
Nanotechnology is referred to as the creation of novel science and technology at the atomic, molecular, and macromolecular level with controlled manipulation, as well as the study of structures and devices in the 1 to 100 nanometer range. It is primarily concerned with the investigation and development of nanoscale delivery systems that have new functional features.
When Norio Taniguchi coined the phrase “nanotechnology,” it was in 1974. Richard Feynman, physicist and author, described the manipulation of molecules as the key to possibly new methods of synthesis in 1959 at a speech that illustrated the concept “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom,” which was later renamed “There’s Plenty of Room at the Top.” It was in 1981 that the scanning tunnelling microscope was invented, allowing for the clear view of individual atoms and bonds to be achieved.
A vast variety of nanotechnologies based on nanomaterials have been investigated as a result of the increasing amount of research being conducted in this subject. To summarise, when compared to what is observed at the bulk scale, Nanoparticles exhibit favourable unique features and functionalities linked to tiny size, surface tailorability, enhanced solubility, and multifunctionality that are not observed at the bulk scale.
Nanobiotechnology
When atoms are manipulated, it opens the door to the creation of effective nanomaterials with well-defined in vitro and in vivo parameters. For biologists, the Nanofield has the potential to offer up a plethora of new study opportunities. Nanotechnology, which makes use of nanomaterials, has the potential to interact with complex biological organs while consuming only a little amount of biomolecules. It was demonstrated by the intrinsic nanoscale functional features, which were suitable to biological tissues, that nanotechnology could be successfully applied to the life sciences.
The term “nanobiotechnology” was coined to describe a novel merger of biotechnology and nanotechnology that has emerged in recent years. Nowadays, the scientific community is focusing its attention on the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of nano-sized materials in order to discover novel applications that will benefit human health in the future. Nanotechnology is regarded as a fusion of physics and chemistry in its application. The phrases nanobiotechnology, bionanotechnology, and nanobiology are all used to refer to the junction of nanotechnology and biology, and they are all interchangeable.
Nanobiotechnology is a branch of nanotechnology that focuses on diagnostic procedures, drug delivery systems, and therapeutic tools. Nanobiotechnology is a branch of nanotechnology that focuses on the discovery and development of nanomaterials. Interdisciplinary researchers now have a new opportunity to target, diagnose, and treat diseases such as cancer through the development and design of multifunctional nanoparticles. This includes the improvement of diagnostic methods, the development of more effective drug delivery systems, and the development of more effective therapy. The field of nanobiotechnology will continue to grow at an exponential rate in the development and discovery of new drugs in a variety of scenarios in the future.
For example, atom or molecule level devices that are produced by incorporating a medication into an appropriate biocompatible delivery system are being researched and developed.
We will now present an integrated review of the uses of nanobiotechnology in molecular diagnostics, drug discovery and development, as well as the significance of nanobiotechnology in drug delivery, in the following sections.
Applications of Nanobiotechnology
Recently, nanotechnology has risen to immense prominence, particularly in the United States. Simply described, it is the use of the smallest amount of input to achieve the greatest amount of output. The next section contains a list of numerous techniques that are used in the relevant applications.
Molecular diagnostics and Drug Discovery, Development
With the use of this cutting-edge approach, researchers have been able to uncover new dimensions of diagnostic and discovery tools. Several improvements are currently in the early stages of development.
Metallic particles, which include gold nanoparticles, are another term for metallic particles. These are made from gold salts that are either organic, aqueous, or a combination of the two. Stable particles with high ligand binding capability are obtained with the use of an appropriate stabiliser. The size of particles that can be used ranges between 3 and 100 nm. Because of their electrical, optical, and thermal properties, they are used extensively in a variety of applications (Theron et al., 2010).
Magnetic nanoparticles are made from magnetic materials such as Fe3O4, Fe2O3, and a variety of different ferrites, among others (Gupta and Gupta, 2006). Incorporating bio-marker moieties onto nanoparticles allows them to be used to explore a variety of biomolecules as well as assist in various processes such as separation and purification.
It is possible to make quantum dots out of semiconductor nano-crystals, which are easy to synthesise and have distinctive properties that are in the range between those of a bulk semiconductor and those of discrete molecules. Their diameter spans between 2 and 10 nanometers. The quantum dot’s luminous property is dependent on the size of the quantum dot (Alivisatos, 1996).
Graphite is the primary component of carbon nano tubes. Multi walled carbon nano tubes are distinguished from mono walled carbon nano tubes by the number of graphite layers they contain. Tubes with only one layer of graphite are referred to as mono walled carbon nano tubes; on the other hand, tubes with multiple layers of graphite are known as multi walled carbon nano tubes. The fundamental advantage of such tubes is that they can conduct a large amount of electricity while generating little or no heat. This occurs as a result of electrons flowing freely throughout the tube as a result of scattering (Seetharamappa et al., 2006).
Nanobiosensors are devices that use electronic, optical, or magnetic technologies to detect and examine biochemical changes in living organisms (Kouhpanji and Stadler, 2020).
Furthermore, the detection and/or quantification of biomolecules such as specific base pairs or proteins is also a viable option. When an immobilised tool adheres to the target molecule/analyte being detected in this phenomena, any change at a localised surface can be investigated rather than detecting the target in solution, which is how the vast majority of biosensors operate (Prasad, 2014).
The nano-biotechnology sector has a crucial role to play in overcoming the drug delivery issues mentioned above. It provides the following solution related drug delivery problems:
- With the use of this technology, the particle size of pharmaceuticals is decreased to the nanoscale size range, resulting in an increase in the surface area and ultimately an increase in the rate of dissolution;
(b) the nanometer size range of drugs is also useful for improving their solubility;
(c) With the help of this technology scientists trying to develop non-invasive routes of drug administration method which can eliminates the use of injectable drugs,
(d) developed nanoparticle formulations are a better alternate for non-stable and lower shelf lives formulations,
(e) nanotechnology based formulations improved the solubility of poorly soluble drug and enhance absorption capability, improved bioavailability and release rate of large molecules, reduced the optimum dose and enhance the safety margin by reducing the side effects,
(f) Nano-biotechnology principles help in developing sustained and controlled release formulations with better patient compliance (Kumari et al., 2010)
Conclusion
When it comes to the in-vivo application of nanoengineered medications, safety is still a primary concern. In order to deliver the promise of safe medications, a restructured, compact, and integrated regulatory strategy is required to investigate the anticipated hazards. Certainly, it is reasonable to predict that nano-biotechnology will play a great and unique role in the treatment of human diseases and the research of human physiology in the not too distant future. Based on the research that has been done in nano-biotechnology over the last few decades, it can be predicted that nano-biotechnology will become an integral part of our daily lives in the near future.
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References
Alivisatos AP. Semiconductor clusters, nanocrystals, and quantum dots. Science. 1996;271:933-937
Gupta AK, Gupta M. Synthesis and surface engineering of iron oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications. Biomaterials. 2005;26:3995-4021
Kouhpanji M and Stadler B. A guideline for effectively synthesizing and characterizing magnetic nanoparticles for advancing nanobiotechnology: A review. Sensors 2020; 20:2554
Kumari A, Yadav SK, Yadav SC. Biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles based drug delivery systems. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces. 2010;75:1-18
Prasad S. Nanobiosensors: The future for diagnosis of disease. Nanobiosensors in Disease Diagnosis. 2014;3:1-10
Seetharamappa J, Yellappa S, D’Souza F. Carbon nanotubes next generation of electronic materials. Electrochemical Society Interface. 2006;15:23-26
Theron J, Cloete TE, Kwaadsteniet MD. Molecular techniques for determining microbial diversity and community structure in natural environments. Critical Reviews in Microbiology. 2010;36:318-339
