Year: 2017
Type: editorial
Abstract: Nano Tools Pave the Way to New Solutions in Infectious DiseaseI nfectious disease is one of the most critical problems facing the world, presenting several significant medical and technological challenges.The evolution of virulent new infectious agents, or ones that were formerly little known and contained, such as Zika and Chikungunya, or H1N1, has accelerated in recent years.Several known strains of bacteria responsible for common infections have evolved resistant strains that cannot be treated with today's arsenal of antibiotics.The rate at which new antibiotic molecules can be developed is shadowed by the increase in resistant strains; furthermore, increased use of antibiotics generally leads to acquired resistance.There is a strong and rising need for the ability to detect and identify infections at early stages and provide treatment in a form that can kill infectious agents at high efficiencies, but will not risk human safety or the development of more resistant or virulent strains.Effective vaccines can help prevent the spread of infection and can in some cases effectively vanquish certain diseases from global communities.Unfortunately, there are several challenges in the identification of effective antigens, and the necessary level and type of activation of the immune system to promote long term protection.Nanoscience brings new tools and capabilities to every aspect of these challenges.Thanks to the ever-increasing convergence of biology, engineering, and medicine, there have been significant new advances and increased understanding in critical medical challenges such as cancer.However, there is a great deal more for the field to learn regarding how to utilize these capabilities, significant research, engagement, and translational activity for furthering the field.Addressing the issues of infectious disease is one of the next big frontiers for those who work on materials and approaches at the nanoscale.Although the number of researchers working at the interface between nanomaterials and infectious disease is small relative to those in cancer, regenerative medicine, and other areas, the potential for growth in the field is high.There are several research groups who have already been working on many of these significant challenges, representing areas from physics, chemistry, materials science, and chemical engineering as well as biology and biomedical engineering.This virtual issue celebrates the emergence of a now quickly growing field by looking at examples taken from just the past 2 years of ACS Nano and our newer sister journal, ACS Infectious Diseases.In this array of examples, we have tried to cover different areas of impact for Nano in this burgeoning field, including the design of materials for immune monitoring and pathogen and disease detection, systems enabling to vaccine development, and nanomaterials development for the treatment of infection, from blood-borne disease to the penetration of bacterial biofilms.
Source: ACS Infectious Diseases
Author: Paula T. Hammond
Language: English
Subfield: Biomaterials
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2742993462