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Nano-Biotechnology
Nano-biotechnology offers much promise in medical research. It exploits the special properties of materials and structures at the extremely small nanometric scale (measured in billionths), paving a way for the development of new medicines, implants and tissue engineering.
"The design, synthesis and application studies of functional nano-structural materials are impacting on the future of science and technology," said Professor A.H.W. Ngan of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and convenor of the Nano-Biotechnology research theme.
At HKU, the Faculty of Science, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Engineering are collaborating closely on nano-biotechnology research, with important results.
They have provided insights into the anti-bacterial and wound healing properties of silver nanoparticles, and demonstrated their promising anti-viral effects against HIV, Hepatitis B and H5N1 (bird flu). They also recently developed methods using nanomaterials to fix the brain and stop bleeding, and have a strong track record in nanomechanical research focusing on the degeneration of human intervertebral discs and medical implants.
Researchers are fine tuning these applications and will continue to apply their expertise to find new uses for nano-biotechnology.
Nanomedicine and nano-bioelectronics
Silver nanoparticles are of particular interest in medical applications. Silver has been used for many years as an anti-bacterial and healing agent, but without a strong body of scientific knowledge about how it works. HKU researchers have explained some of its properties, but there is still room for discovery. Silver can be unstable and toxic so improving understanding can lead to better medicine and improved delivery to biomolecular targets.
"Silver is good for many things, but it’s quite magical and mysterious as to why this is the case — we’re trying to find this out," said Professor C.M. Che of the Department of Chemistry.
Research is focused on developing new methods to synthesise silver nanoparticles so the stability and toxicity issues can be investigated. The anti-viral and anti-bacterial actions of silver will also be studied further.
Another area where nano-biotechnology helps is in detecting disease. HKU researchers are applying nano-bioelectronics to this pursuit, focusing on DNA molecules, which emit electrical charges. They hope to develop the first nano-structured biosensors for detecting viruses.
Nano-biomechanics
Nano-biomechanics investigates the properties of the tiniest building blocks in biological tissues to understand how they work and when they are diseased. These insights can help point the way for treatment. Our researchers are using nano-biomechanics to study lower back pain and the degeneration of intervertebral (IV) discs.
"We don’t know if disc degeneration is because there is a problem with each element, such as each individual collagen fibre, or whether it is due to the whole structure of the disc," said Dr W.W. Lu of the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology. "We want to use nanotechnology to find out why the disc fails."
The research will focus specifically on one of the major components of IV discs, collagen 2, to understand its mechanical properties.
Nano-biomaterials
Research into nano-biomaterials can lead to the creation of technologies and products that can be helpful in medical and industrial uses. HKU scholars are focusing on medical applications, in particular cartilage and the problem of knee pain and degeneration.
Nano-biomaterials can be used to build scaffolds that support re-growth and deliver treatment. Our researchers have developed methods to reconstitute collagen, a natural nanomaterial, into a fibrous meshwork that can entrap stem cells. This is on such a tiny scale it can be injected into the knee or other sites, allowing for minimally invasive treatment.
Another project aims to create scaffolds that would help stem cells differentiate into the appropriate tissue (e.g. cartilage) and support their growth. "This would be a platform technology that we could patent for other applications," said Dr B.P. Chan of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Researchers are also working on encapsulating cells that emit certain proteins to speed up cell growth. The aim is to have the protein growth factor secreted over the longer term without triggering an immunosuppressant response in the body, so it could provide on-going treatment to patients.
