77
NANOMEDICINE
THE QUEST FOR ACCIDENT-LIMITED HEALTHSPANS
Robert A. Freitas Jr., J.D.
Editors Note: Dr. Freitas original document includes a great
number of graphics, tables and statistics that, for technical reasons,
could not be included in this print version. You can obtain these
graphics as well as an extended version of this article free of charge
by visiting the E-reference site for this book:
http://imminst.org/book1
The greatest advances in halting biological aging and prevent-
ing natural death are likely to come from the fields of bio-
technology and nanotechnology that is, from nanomedicine.
Nanomedicine is most simply and generally defined as the
preservation and improvement of human health, using molec-
ular tools and molecular knowledge of the human body [1].
Soon molecular tools of nanomedicine will include biologi-
cally active materials with well-defined nanoscale structures,
such as dendrimer-based organic devices and pharmaceuticals
based on fullerenes and organic nanotubes. We should also
see genetic therapies and tissue engineering becoming more
common in medical practice, which can contribute a little to
life extension at the oldest ages.