If you’re a subscriber to Revolutionary Tech Investor, you’ll know that technology analyst Sam Volkering has been unearthing futuristic tech investing opportunities.
And if you think we’re using the word revolutionary too freely, well, think again. Because the word ‘revolution’ perfectly describes some of the amazing things happening in the tech world right now.
Today, I’ll talk to you about another revolutionary idea – carbon nanotubes (CNTs).
Sam explained the unique qualities of this high-tech composite material in a recent issue of Revolutionary Tech Investor. Put simply, carbon nanotubes are tubes of one atom thick carbon, only a few nanometres wide.
They look like cotton thread, conduct like electricity, heat up like metal wires and are as strong as carbon fibres. In short, carbon nanotubes look set to be the high-tech material of the future…
In theory, CNTs seem to have very few limits. Scientists are only just starting to discover the opportunities for their application.
As I mentioned last week, the hype around CNTs is back because scientists have found ways of manipulating, or controlling, CNT’s chirality (its twist). It’s this newfound control over CNTs that means they will eventually replace silicon chips that power computers.
CNT use in computing looks set to revolutionise the computing industry the way silicon chips did.
Because of their unusual properties and the ability to ‘twist’ them (that is, the ability to control their metallic properties), nanotubes won’t just shake up electronics. In fact, CNTs could vastly alter the treatment and the outcome for cancer patients.
Currently, when surgery isn’t an option or it hasn’t been successful for a cancerous tumour, many have no alternative but to try chemotherapy and radiation therapy to shrink or kill the cancer cells.
Scientists already know how to kill cancer in a test tube. But that sort of dosage is fatal to people. As it is, the process and ordeal cancer patients endure is horrible.
The current treatment available has many adverse side effects. That’s because even the reasonably low toxic dose of either chemo and/or radiation, kill off any normal rapidly dividing cells. Like bone marrow and hair follicles for example.
The toxins pumped into the human body cause a variety of nasty side effects. Nausea, vomiting, failing autoimmune system, fatigue, skin burns from aggressive radiation procedures are all common. If you’ve known someone going through a chemo or radiation course, you know how brutal the side effects are.
Drugs to treat cancer are deadly. Poisons not only break down the cancer, but the body too.
And this is where carbon nanotubes could completely change the treatment and existence for those undergoing treatment.
Carbon Nanotubes A New Attack on Cancer
Very early laboratory testing has shown that CNTs may be able to target cancer cells. Without harming the good cells. And, with minimal side effects too.
Let me explain how.
Scientists at Stanford University have developed an in vitro, or test tube method, way of delivering a high toxic dose of chemotherapy using CNTs. Enabling them to target only the cancer and not attack the healthy normal cells.
First the scientists ‘undo’ the cap at the end of the nanotube (remember they are cylindrical in shape and scientists can shape them to have cap-like ends). They then load the CNTs with the chemicals.
It’s a bit like filling up a water bottle and screwing the cap back on.
From there the scientists place them into the blood stream near cancerous cells. The CNTs then float around waiting for the cancer to find it. Once the CNTs meet the growth, the cancer cells cover the CNT. Put another way, the cancer ‘swallows’ the CNT.
From here, treatment is a lot less invasive. A doctor looks through a microscope, searching for the CNT. Once inside the cell a near-infrared laser works on the outside to heat the nanotubes.
The nanotubes heat up, releasing the toxins that kill the cancer.
Dr Hongjie Dai, a member of the Stanford team behind this discovery, called it the ‘Trojan horse’ technique.
This is very early stage, ground breaking work. In spite of a couple of years work toiling away with test tubes and petri dishes, they’ve only just progressed to using mice. But Dr Dai believes that clinical trials, with people, are only a couple of years away.
Despite the early stage of research, the idea of a safer and less toxic management for cancer patients is revolutionary. It would greatly enhance the quality of life for those undergoing treatment. And perhaps offer a better prognosis. Instead of bombing a person with chemicals, scientists can directly aim at tumours.
My point is, should this treatment prove to be more than a lab theory, the applications won’t stop at cancer treatments. Something as ground breaking as this could completely overhaul the current medical system of drug delivery when it comes to all types of ailments.
A Revolution in Medicine
It will only be a matter of time before the use of CNTs in other medical treatments become common place.
It was only a few years ago that that scientists found out the bone healing qualities of CNTs.
Researchers at the University of California discovered about six years ago how carbon nanotubes can improve strength and flexibility of artificial bone materials. Early findings suggest this could lead to a new type of bone graft for bone thinning diseases like osteoporosis.
Around the same time, Japanese researchers found a way of using carbon nanotubes to create a scaffolding for bone fractures. The idea started at as a way to correct breaks more efficiently than a cast. However, a happy coincidence was that testing in mice also showed a speed up in fracture recovery.
Simply put, the bone grew back quicker, and integrated itself into the bone structure
Today’s treatment means a simple bone break in a cast takes a minimum of six weeks to heal. The Japanese conclusion was that they could halve the healing time of bone breaks or fractures.
The reason this research hasn’t moved ahead to clinical trials is because of the danger synthetic chemicals of nanotubes pose to humans. There isn’t yet enough information about the effects the chemicals have or how long the body takes to break down the substance.
But eventually, science will figure out a way to make these safe for human use.
And once scientists do that, the versatility of nanotubes could apply to many different areas of medicine. It takes just one enquiring mind. There are always going to be those out there pushing the boundaries of what we can do and what we know.
These are very important steps to changing what we know about medical technology.
The development of controllable nanotubes, and the limitless applications they present, means scientists could be on the cusp of a medical technology revolution.
Shae Smith
Assistant Editor, Money Weekend
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