Control of matter on an atomic and molecular scale

[Orangefall]

Nanotechnology, is a study of the control of matter on an atomic and molecular scale right?
I'm currently studying taking this course in my college and I'm wondering if Nanotechnology plays a part in researching cancer cells. Does Nanotechnology helps in treatment of cancer cells?

If possible, are there any free online books that contain information of Nanotech so that I could learn from them?

I'm sorry if there are other threads regarding this. I'm new to this forum.

A big hi guys, I'm Ken from Singapore.

 

[The riddler]

From what i know Nanotechnology plays no part in curing cancer (at the moment) as radiation is mainly used to cure cancer and this has nothing to do with nanotechnology.

P.S: I think this post would be better in a more advanced section, maybe the biology section but I am not sure.

 

[Nick89]

At the moment I don't think it's being used yet, but they are definitely researching the possibility. Think about 'nanobots' that are injected into your bloodstream and find cancer cells to destroy them.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Think about 'nanobots' that are injected into your bloodstream and find cancer cells to destroy them.

This is science fiction.

 

[Nick89]

This is science fiction.

As I said, this is not happening yet. Space travel was also science fiction a long time ago.

 

[The riddler]

Nicks right. Stuff of science fiction is pursued by physicists more than anything else, so this is in no way a negative to Nicks answer.

 

[Lok]

Chemistry will always have simpler solutions for cancer. the problem is not that nanotehnology is not evolved enough ( it really isn't), it's the fact that most of the molecular mechanism of reaction and interaction in cells are mostly unknown.

Proteins can be considered nanobots, quite functional ones.

 

[LURCH]

There is a technique (still in the developemental stages) that would use gold nanospheres injected into the body. These little balls would be of a carefully controlled diameter, and would attach themselves to cancer cells. The body would then be bombarded with IR radiation at a wavelength equall to the size of the nanospheres.

Result; the spheres heat up, but nothing else in the body does. Cells in direct contact with the nanospheres (which should only be cancer cells) get cooked, and other cells receive no damage.

I read it in SciAm awhile back. http://www.dddmag.com/news-nanospheres-cancer-cells-032409.aspx" to articles from several publications.