LIFE SCIENCES

Nanotubes could also have a significant impact on the biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries. Nanotubes can be functionalized to target certain types of cells. Several research groups have published data demonstrating that nanotubes could be used as drugs or to deliver drugs to targeted cells.

Nanotubes might also be used as miniature biosensors for drug discovery and diagnostics. Researchers have shown that nanotubes can detect small amounts of molecules through electrical, optical, or mechanical means. Such detectors might form the basis for pharmaceutical research tools that provide specific information about targets for therapeutics. They also open the door to point-of-care diagnostics, where patients can obtain real time information on their health by placing a drop of bodily fluid on a chip. Nanotubes might also be used in a number of different medical devices. Some researchers are using nanotubes as the scaffold material for engineering certain tissues, while others are seeking to leverage the mechanical properties of nanotubes to develop new stents and catheters.