Preface

The terminology “Biomedicine,” also referred to as “Professional Medicine,” is predominantly biological medicine. To maintain uniformity in labeling medicine across different cultures, the term Biomedicine was coined by Gaines and Hahn in place of cosmopolitan medicine, western medicine, allopathic medicine, or scientific medicine. This traditional medicine applies physiological and biological principles in clinical practice. This field of medical science is administered by formally trained doctors, nurses, and medical practitioners. The medicinal products are targeted to combat diseases at the macro level and often affect normal cells to a significant extent. Another point of observation in biomedicine is its potential to trigger allergic reactions in patients due to the lack of personalized formulations. There is also no scope for adjusting the shape and size of drugs to achieve highly focused drug delivery.

With the advent of nanotechnology, a branch of physics, a remarkable concept emerged for tuning the shape and size of macro-sized materials in nature. Later, chemical science incorporated synthesis routes to prepare these unique materials. One of the advantages of chemical science is that it offers numerous avenues to control shape and size. These strategies have successfully developed nanomaterials with one-dimensional sizes ranging from 1 to 100 nm. One-dimensional nanotubes, two-dimensional nanosheets, nanoflakes, thin films, three-dimensional hierarchical nanostructures, and zero-dimensional quantum dots have made significant contributions in diverse fields, especially healthcare, due to controlled drug release, targeted drug delivery, and reduced cytotoxicity.

The convergence of nanotechnology and biomedicine, now commonly known as nanobiomedicine, has triggered a revolution in healthcare, offering unprecedented opportunities for diagnostics, therapeutics, and theranostics. For diagnostic purposes, nanomaterials can enter the bloodstream easily due to their extremely small size, enabling effective treatment or faster diagnosis. Various nanomaterials, such as nanoparticles, nanowires, nanoconjugates, and nanorods, have opened new possibilities in medical diagnosis and treatment. These materials not only simplify disease detection by functioning as biomarkers but also highlight medical areas that were previously challenging to diagnose or treat using conventional analytical methods.

Nanomaterials, explicitly referred to as nanomedicine, have transformed therapeutic applications through their remarkable versatility in treating complex diseases. In bacterial inhibition, silver, zinc oxide, and copper nanoparticles demonstrate potent antimicrobial properties by disrupting bacterial cell membranes, generating reactive oxygen species, and interfering with essential cellular processes, offering potential solutions to combat antibiotic resistance. In cancer therapy, engineered nanomaterials, such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, and gold nanostructures, enable targeted drug delivery to tumor sites, minimizing damage to healthy tissues while enhancing therapeutic efficacy. These nanocarriers can be functionalized with targeting ligands that specifically recognize cancer cell receptors, allowing for precise delivery of chemotherapeutic agents, genetic material, or immunomodulatory compounds. Additionally, some nanomaterials exhibit intrinsic therapeutic properties, such as gold nanorods and magnetic nanoparticles, which can convert external energy sources, such as light or magnetic fields, into localized heat for thermal ablation of tumors, creating multifunctional platforms that combine diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities in a single system.

Nanobiomedicine has recently emerged as a revolutionary method for tackling diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Nanoparticles serve as carriers for drugs and genes in treating various diseases. Their advantageous high surface area-to-volume ratio enables drug- or gene-conjugated nanoparticles to penetrate cell membranes and reach intracellular targets. Through receptor-specific recognition, functionalized nanoparticles can target specific cells, reducing off-target effects. Nanoparticles also protect drugs and genes from the degradation common in conventional delivery methods by encapsulating or shielding these formulations. In addition, nanoparticles offer the benefit of combining therapy and diagnostics into a single theranostic platform, allowing for precise treatment and disease monitoring. These versatile particles can transport both imaging agents and therapeutic molecules (including drugs, DNA, and RNA), enabling simultaneous disease imaging and treatment while eliminating the need for separate procedures. Researchers worldwide are currently investigating nanoparticles' theranostic potential across various applications, from cancer and genetic disorder therapies to vaccine development, demonstrating their remarkable capabilities. This chapter examines various nanoparticles used for drug and gene delivery alongside commonly employed imaging techniques in theranostic approaches.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In the present context, this book, "Nanobiomedicine: Fundamentals and Implementation in Theranostic Applications," focuses on providing an in-depth overview of this rapidly evolving field, exploring its fundamental principles, cutting-edge applications, and the transformative role of artificial intelligence.

Designed with an introductory concept of nanobiomedicine, this book explores its potential applications in healthcare and concludes with AI-assisted patient sentiment analysis. The book deliberately features a diverse examination of nanomedicine's role in healthcare to provide readers with a thorough and progressive understanding of medical advancements.

In this book, an introductory overview of nanobiomedicine with key features, potential applications, future prospects, and challenges such as ethical concerns, toxicity, and regulatory obstacles is presented in a comprehensible manner. Subsequently, implications of nanomaterials in the therapeutic sector, including photodynamic therapy, immunotherapy, and gene therapy, are discussed in detail. Simultaneous performance in diagnosis and therapy is also highlighted, where nanomaterials can act as vectors for drugs and genes in the treatment of various disease conditions. Their high surface area-to-volume ratio is a positive factor, as it allows drug- or gene-conjugated nanoparticles to traverse cell membranes and access intracellular targets. Both imaging agents and therapeutic molecules [drugs, DNA, and RNA] can be carried by nanoparticles, whose multifunctionality enables simultaneous disease imaging and treatment, reducing the need for separate interventions. This book also highlights the diagnostic portfolio of nanomaterials in a profound way so that interested researchers can gain ample guidance from the chapter. In this particular chapter, 2-dimensional nanomaterials, quantum dots, nanocomposites, etc., are explored as disease biomarkers, and nanodispersions are discussed. A special literary discussion focuses on cancer treatment and diagnosis by nanomaterials, where nanomedicine has revolutionized cancer therapy by enabling targeted drug delivery to tumor sites through functionalized nanocarriers, minimizing damage to healthy tissues while maximizing therapeutic efficacy. In cancer diagnosis, nanoparticles serve as contrast agents for enhanced imaging techniques, allowing earlier detection of malignancies at the molecular level before morphological changes become apparent. These nanoscale platforms can also be engineered as theranostic agents that combine both diagnostic and therapeutic functions, permitting real-time monitoring of treatment response while simultaneously delivering anticancer drugs or mediating thermal ablation therapies. Interestingly, the theme of the book has slightly shifted to Artificial Intelligence-based disease detection due to the fact that in the modern healthcare industry 5.0 and 6.0 under smart society 5.0 and 6.0, artificial intelligence is an extensively dominant tool to clinically diagnose, analyze diseases, and assist patients. In this regard, the book includes one chapter on Machine Learning-assisted Alzheimer’s disease detection that diligently helps patients achieve better treatment and guides doctors to use suitable artificial intelligence models for improved accuracy in prediction. A spontaneous question arises whether there is any scope for artificial intelligence-mediated nanomedicine formulation to design drugs that are more personalized and effective in combating disease. Of course, the book incorporates one chapter on artificial intelligence-based drug discovery, especially for allergic diseases. A comprehensive and more profound generalized conceptualization of artificial intelligence-based nanomedicine formulation is presented in the succeeding chapter. To account for the challenges of artificial intelligence-based nanomedicine formulation and disease treatment, a risk management and regulatory measurement framework is needed for AI-driven nanomedicine, including preventive security measures and real-time monitoring with a stringent algorithm validation process. Finally, the book encompasses sentiment analysis of patients when they are suffering from neurodiseases or cancer. One chapter is dedicated to these patients, where natural language processing techniques (NLP) are used to analyze their emotions and sentiments for more effective treatment. The selection of this chapter is motivated by the aim of enabling healthcare systems to extract emotional insights from patient feedback, social media posts, and clinical notes. By analyzing patient sentiments, healthcare providers can identify areas of dissatisfaction, monitor mental health trends, and personalize treatment approaches based on emotional responses to care. This technology facilitates a more empathetic healthcare ecosystem by quantifying subjective experiences that traditionally went unmeasured, allowing for continuous improvement of patient experiences while providing early warning signals of potential issues in care delivery. NLP-based sentiment analysis bridges the communication gap between patients and healthcare systems, transforming qualitative expressions into actionable intelligence that drives more responsive and emotionally intelligent healthcare services. This book is truly interdisciplinary in its disposition and emerges as an efficient reference for materials scientists, biotechnologists, AI researchers, and medical practitioners.

ORGANIZATION OF THE BOOK

The journey through this book begins with an introduction to the core concepts of nanobiomedicine, laying the groundwork for understanding the intricate interactions between nanomaterials and biological systems, and the reasoning behind the implications of nanomedicines in the evaluation and diagnostics of cancer and other infectious diseases (Chapter 1). In this chapter, the methodologies of nanomedicine injection for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are depicted with intense focus. Some recent advancements, including nanorobots for customized medications, are highlighted for readers’ interest. Finally, some constraints such as ethical concerns, toxicity, and regulatory obstacles are addressed in this chapter, providing a realistic view of nanomedicines.

The diagnostic prowess of nanomaterials is further explored in Chapter 2, showcasing their utility in early disease detection and personalized medicine. This chapter provides a detailed overview of different nanomedicine structures, including nanoparticles, 2D materials, quantum dots, nanofibers, nanowires, nanorods, nanodispersions, carbon nanotubes, and nanocomposites, and their uses in imaging, biosensing, and diagnostics, aiming to give readers a clear understanding of nanomedicine's applications.

Chapter 3 expands on this, focusing specifically on the exciting realm of theranostics, where diagnosis and therapy are seamlessly integrated at the nanoscale. In this chapter, the implications of different types of nanomaterials, such as micelles, organic nanoparticles, and gold nanoparticles, in drug delivery, imaging, Point of Care (POC) therapy, and gene therapy are explained in a comprehensible fashion with concomitant analysis of strategies for sustained drug release.

The fundamental ideas and key points of nanomedicine-induced theranostic systems are then matured in Chapter 4, where we delve into the diverse applications of nanomaterials in therapeutic interventions, highlighting their potential for targeted drug delivery and enhanced treatment efficacy. The chapter comprehensively discusses major progress in nanomaterials-mediated healthcare, including immunotherapy, gene therapy, tumor treatment, and vaccine development. Additionally, this chapter recommends different clinical translations of nanomedicines and examines associated challenges currently faced by the field.

Chapter 5 examines the use of nanomedicine for combined therapy and diagnosis in cancer treatment. This chapter illustrates how nanomedicine has developed to address limitations in traditional cancer therapies. It pays particular attention to recent progress in using various nanomedicine types, such as upconversion, plasmonic, magnetic, quantum dot, carbon, Prussian blue, mesoporous silica, lipid-based, and polymeric nanoparticles, in clinical cancer treatment. The chapter concludes by discussing the future potential and obstacles of implementing nanomedicine in clinical practice.

Chapter 6 presents a fascinating exploration of machine learning (ML)-based approaches for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, demonstrating the power of AI in neurodegenerative disorders for accurate and early detection of intermediate stages. While the promise of nanobiomedicine is immense, challenges remain.

Chapter 7 delves into AI-mediated drug delivery, including oral, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, and transdermal routes, especially for allergic patients, by addressing challenges in traditional nanomedicine formulation. This chapter addresses inherent challenges in nanomedicine-mediated traditional theranostic applications, such as pharmacokinetics, bioavailability, and targeted action, acknowledging the complexities and potential limitations. However, these challenges are being actively addressed, particularly with the integration of AI methodologies—including machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing—into the development of next-generation drug delivery platforms.

Besides experimental synthesis of nanomaterials and their implications in theranostic applications, modern technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its associated sister concerns pervade theranostic systems to reduce tedious human efforts and provide a smart, decisive, and justifiable healthcare system. In today’s hectic life, hypertension and oxidative stress are natural phenomena for every individual and, in most cases, they are untreated or casually treated, resulting in neurodegeneration in individuals over the age of 65. Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are the two most prevalent diseases frequently developed in adults, especially senior citizens, making early identification and medication of utmost priority.

Keeping this in view, Chapter 8 highlights the crucial role of AI in nanomedicine formulation and applications, showcasing its ability to accelerate research and development. This chapter illustrates revolutionary breakthroughs due to AI regarding existing limitations of nanomedicine, specifically in production scales, regulatory burdens, and nanomaterial toxicity. At the outset, the chapter highlights ethical, regulatory, and data-related issues that arise from the integration of AI with nanomedicine.

This book is intended for a broad audience, including researchers, clinicians, engineers, and students interested in the intersection of nanotechnology, biomedicine, and artificial intelligence. We hope that it serves as a valuable resource, inspiring further exploration and contributing to the advancement of this dynamic field. A tapestry of knowledge, woven with threads of expertise and spun with the dedication of insightful minds, has been presented to us. We stand in gratitude, bathed in the luminescence of our contributory authors’ intellectual contributions. These are not merely words on a page, but seeds of wisdom, planted with the intention of nurturing a future harvest. We envision these ideas blossoming, becoming guiding stars for burgeoning researchers and clinicians, illuminating their paths toward a sustainable, intelligent healthcare society. Their work, a beacon in the vast expanse of medical innovation, promises to ignite a chain reaction of discovery, fostering a legacy of healing and progress.