Nanotechnology Fundamentals Applied to Clinical Infectious Diseases and Public Health

Ellis Tobin; Sara Brenner

doi:10.1093/ofid/ofab583

Nanotechnology Fundamentals Applied to Clinical Infectious Diseases and Public Health

Open Forum Infect Dis. 2021 Nov 20;8(12):ofab583. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofab583. eCollection 2021 Dec.

Authors

Ellis Tobin¹, Sara Brenner²

Affiliations

¹ College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, State University of New York Polytechnic Institute, Albany, New York, USA.
² Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health, Office of Product Evaluation and Quality, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.

Abstract

Nanotechnology involves the discovery and fabrication of nanoscale materials possessing unique physicochemical properties that are being employed in industry and medicine. Infectious Diseases clinicians and public health scientists utilize nanotechnology applications to diagnose, treat, and prevent infectious diseases. However, fundamental principles of nanotechnology are often presented in technical formats that presuppose an advanced knowledge of chemistry, physics, and engineering, thereby limiting the clinician's grasp of the underlying science. While nanoscience is technically complex, it need not be out of reach of the clinical practitioner. The aim of this review is to introduce fundamental principles of nanotechnology in an accessible format, describe examples of current clinical infectious diseases and public health applications, and provide a foundation that will aid understanding of and appreciation for this burgeoning and important field of science.

Keywords: food and water safety; lateral flow chromatography; nanodiagnostics; nanomedicine; nanotechnology; nuclear magnetic resonance; surface plasmon resonance; vaccines.

Publication types

Review