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NanoDevice Micromesh

Nanodevice Medical Devices Make Big News in Ireland. As previously mentioned on this blog, Medical devices continue to be a major center of growth and activity both in R&D and job creation for the Irish economy. But allied to this power house another developing science is begining to make itself felt. Nanoscience is rapidly converging and combining with the BioPharma and Medical device sectors which were once seen as distinct and completely sepperate branches of science and are now adding incredible synergies. Medical devices and biopharma products are now being enhanced and expanded far beyond their existing or previously envisioned applications into new and advanced medical or clinical applications. They have also opened up completly new research vistas undreamt of less than five years ago.

Nanoscience adds a different dimension or perhaps microdimension to products such as medical devices that allows them to operate at the subatomic level. For instance, as we see with most medical devices at present they operate as simple tools treating the symptoms of ailments whereas we are already witnessing the application of nanoscience to medical devices that will very soon  actually allow them to actively cure an illness.

Specifically we can envisage the usage of nano robots that can heal tears in arteries unreachable by contemporary surgery techniques. Additionally early research is already being undertaken with the development of gold plated nano drugs capable of functioning as effectively as a smart bio weapon, guided precisely and unerringly to the point of infection such as cancerous tumours doing away with debilitating chemo or radiation therapy.

Added together, medical devices, ICT and Biopharma employ over 130,000 people emphasising their importance to the nation as a significant economic driver. Given the global market for nanoscience products is over €3 Trillion Dollars, or to localise this figure, last year Ireland exported over €150 Billion in goods and services, of this 10% were nanoscience enabled or related products  or €15 Billion. By 2015 this figure could be as much as €30 Billion.

Small wonder then that as this sector continues to grow in importance, it will continue to be a beacon of hope in a time of unprecedented economic gloom.