Biomechanical Design of Nanotechnological Devices for Health Care

Udine, Italy (July 06-10, 2009)

The integration of Nanotechnology with biomedical research and practice has already shown profound effects on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases as such cancer and cardiovascular, generating a new scientific field known as Nanomedicine. Drug formulations based on injectable particulate systems are already used in the clinic; multifunctional nanoparticles incorporating both therapeutic and contrast agents for disease treatment and imaging are currently in clinical trials; sophisticated micro- and nano-fluidic devices for the in-vivo long term (several months) release of biomolecules; for rapid and inexpensive ex-vivo blood processing and analysis are under development in several laboratories; nanostructured and nanoporous surfaces for the selective trapping of blood molecules have been integrated in biochips for the ex-vivo early detection of diseases; nano- and micro-probes are used routinely to test and measure the biomechanical properties of single molecules and cells in-vitro; biological entities, from single molecules to DNA strands, have been coupled together with artificial man-made objects to generate molecular-based motors.

Nanomedicine is the field where knowledge pertaining to chemistry, physics, mathematics and engineering sciences are fused with biological and biomedical notions to solve truly multidisciplinary and complex problems with the guiding aim of being of true benefit to the humankind. Consequently, the course will provide an overview of the main nanotechnological devices so far developed and under development for health care; a comprehensive description of the physico-chemical processes and laws governing the behavior and performances of such devices and engineering criteria for their design and testing.

The proposed course will have a short introduction into the topic, emphasizing current technological and scientific challenges together with regulatory rules. The development and design of devices for health care is indeed strictly regulated by agencies, as the Food and Drug Administration. The course will be followed by an overview on the fabrication, development and use of nanotechnological devices as micro- and nano-particles for the systemic administration of therapeutic and imaging agents; nanofilters for the controlled release of biomolecules; nanoporous chips for the early detection of diseases; cantilever based scanning probes for biomechanical testing and measurements. Lectures describing the nanotechnological devices will be alternated with lectures elucidating the biophysical and biochemical mechanisms governing the behavior and performances of each device presenting in particular the mathematical and engineering tools required for their analysis and optimal design.

More: http://www.cism.it/courses/c0907/