Implantable Nanosensors: Goodbye Hospitals and Hello Better Healthcare

T. Webster
Northeastern University,
United States

Keywords: nanomedicine, sensors, wireless, anti-infection, anti-inflammatory

Summary:

Healthcare around the world is facing significant challenges, from alarming rates of antibiotic resistant bacteria to decreasing life expectancies (for the first time in decades). It is clear that we need a paradigm shift as our current approach to global healthcare is not working. In this light, this presentation will cover the design, synthesis, and evaluation of implantable nano sensors which can be used to detect changes in health in a much more specific manner than conventional medicine. Implantable sensors are being incorporated into current medical devices (such as hip implants, Figure 1) or as oral medicine. In both ways, challenges exist concerning the materials to be selected (since materials used in traditional out of the body sensors are too toxic to be implanted), power, communication, and ultimately what to do when the advanced medical information is obtained. All of these issues and more will be presented with solutions, culminating into promising pre-clinical trials with nanosensors.