Priority Research Theme 3

Nanomedicine

Nanomedicine is the application of nanotechnology to achieve breakthroughs in healthcare. It exploits the improved and often novel physical, chemical and biological properties of materials at the nanometre scale. Nanomedicine has the potential to enable the early detection and prevention and to essentially improve diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of diseases. An ageing population and higher expectations for better quality of life are drivers for an improved healthcare system. Nanotechnology and its application to healthcare, can offer solutions to current medical problems. It holds potential for better early diagnosis, 'smart' treatments and triggering of self healing mechanisms.

The ultimate goal in nanodiagnostics is to identify disease as early as possible. Nanotechnology can offer diagnostic tools with increased sensitivity, specificity and reliability. Current research in the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (BDI) is driving towards delivering these diagnostic tools along with offering a single miniaturized device which integrates the analytical steps from sample preparation to detection. Research performed by BDI researchers in the National Biophotonics and Imaging Platform of Ireland (NBIPI), a complementary Large Scale Research Initiative hosted by the NCSR, will lead to significant enhancements in the techniques to capture images of the chemical activity inside living cells, in 3-D real time. This will provide critical information about the origin and development of major diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. The resulting progress should result in more innovative and powerful in vivo diagnostic tools. Advancements in in vivo diagnostics will also rely on molecular imaging where the goal is to create highly sensitive, highly reliable detection agents that can also deliver and monitor therapy "theranostics".

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