Carbon Nanotube Applications in Biomedical Engineering
Summary
Carbon nanotubes are cylindrical nanostructures composed of graphene sheets rolled into tubes, exhibiting exceptional mechanical strength, electrical conductivity and high surface area. These features have been harnessed in multiple biomedical engineering domains, including targeted drug delivery, biosensing, tissue scaffolding and bioimaging. In drug delivery, surface-modified nanotubes can ferry chemotherapeutic agents or genetic material directly into cells, improving selectivity and reducing systemic toxicity. In biosensing, the electronic properties of nanotubes allow real-time detection of biomolecules at low concentrations, supporting early diagnosis and monitoring of disease markers. Their mechanical robustness and nanoscale dimensions also facilitate incorporation into three-dimensional scaffolds for tissue regeneration, where they guide cell adhesion and promote electrical coupling in excitable tissues. Alongside these applications, significant effort has been devoted to understanding biocompatibility and long-term safety, including the development of advanced in vitro and in vivo models. Taken together, carbon nanotubes represent a versatile platform that bridges materials science and clinical innovation, offering new avenues for precision therapies and diagnostic tools with global relevance.
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Carbon Nanotube Applications in Biomedical Engineering publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in carbon nanotube applications in biomedical engineering across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Carbon nanotube: A cylindrical nanostructure of carbon atoms with high aspect ratio and unique electrical and mechanical properties.
Multi-walled carbon nanotube: A stack of concentric carbon nanotubes that offers enhanced rigidity and surface area for functionalisation.
Functionalisation: The chemical modification of a nanotube surface to attach biological ligands, drugs or imaging agents.
Organ-like lung organoid model: A three-dimensional, stem-cell-derived tissue construct that mimics key features of pulmonary epithelium.
Pro-fibrotic phenotype: A cellular response characterised by increased production of fibrous extracellular matrix components, indicative of tissue remodelling.
Biosensor: A device that combines a biological recognition element with a transducer to detect analytes with high sensitivity.
References
- Carbon nanotubes targeted to the tumor microenvironment inhibit metastasis in a preclinical model of melanoma. Bioactive Materials (2023).
- Functioning human lung organoids model pulmonary tissue response from carbon nanomaterial exposures. Nano Today (2024).
- Carbon Nanotubes: A Review on Structure and Their Interaction with Proteins. Journal of Chemistry (2012).
- Carbon Nanotubes: Applications in Pharmacy and Medicine. BioMed Research International (2013).
- The application of carbon nanotubes in target drug delivery systems for cancer therapies. Discover Nano (2011).
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