What Is Nanobiotechnology?

	Chromosomes scratched with the aid of AFM can be separated into areas of a few hundred nanometers.

Nanobiotechnology is a broad field of knowledge and techniques, based on the convergence of scale between micro and nanotechnology and basic components of life, biomolecules (DNA/proteins) and cells.

 

The conjunction between nanotechnology and biology takes place in both ways:

• nanotechnology brings new materials and tools to better study and understand biological processes, at the molecular level and at the nanoscale
• biology brings its self-assembly and natural construction concepts to revolutionize the possibilities of structuring matter at the nanoscale.

	Chart Nanotechnology/Biology (PDF, 64 KB)

Nanobiotechnology represents the application of specific nanotechnologies to the field of life sciences:

• nanostructured materials: Taking advantage of specific properties due to the nanoscale (quantum effects, high surface / volume ratio, self organisation at the atomic level) nanostructured materials can interact precisely with biomolecules or cells, either targeting some specific molecules or detecting molecular events;
• nanotools: For the exploration of matter at an atomic or molecular level nanotools can highlight some specific properties of biological complex architectures, especially their dynamic behaviour or their topography.
• nanobioengineered materials: Nature has already taken advantage of self organisation with low energy processes. This can be mimicked with "biomade" materials with specific nanopatterns or enhanced biocompatibility.

These basic nanobio building blocks are integrated in higher dimension objects, integrated devices, and systems.