Huge resources are poured each year into studying diseases
and finding new treatments. Some of the main focuses of research today are new
drugs (including drugs to treat cancer and heart disease), improved artificial
parts, the production of new vaccines, and the role of genes in disease.
Another growing area is stem cell research. Stem cells are body cells from
which all other types of cells form. Potentially, they could be
laboratory-grown into a variety of human tissues, for use in body
repair.
NANOTECHNOLOGY IN MEDICINE
One day, it may be possible to introduce tiny robots, called
nanorobots, into the body to carry out treatment missions. Medical treatments are just one possible application of the
futuristic area of research known as nanotechnology.
An artificial hand works by means of sensors that can detect
signals in the wearer’s forearm muscles. A built-in microprocessor
analyses the signals and orders the mechanical parts of the hand to open or
close. A challenge in producing devices such as theseF is to get living tissue
and nonliving material to work together. One focus is to find better ways of
passing signals between human nerves and electronic devices.
COMPUTER-AIDED DRUG DESIGN
Modern researchers often use computers to help design new medicines.
For example, a scientist can use a computer model of a drug molecule and study
how it interacts with a model of a target site in the body. The researcher can
then make improvements to the molecule, allowing a virtual drug to be developed
on computer before it is made and tested for real.
