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Glossary
ADME—stands for “absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion.”
Mnemonic for toxicology studies needed for determining safety of a drug,
biologic, or medical device intended for use in the body.
albumin—the primary protein in blood plasma.
bio-barcode—method developed to improve limits of detection for pro-
tein concentrations in samples. By coupling the protein binding events
with DNA “barcodes”—unique sequences of DNA matched with specific
protein targets (sequences can be random and do not need to be related to
the protein)—additional sensitivity is gained because the DNA barcodes
can be amplified to detectable levels using polymerase chain reaction.
biocompatibility—the degree to which a material or device can perform
its function without causing undesirable immune response from the host
organism or other adverse effects.
biodistribution—the locations to which materials or devices travel after
placement in a living body.
biomarker—“a characteristic that is objectively measured and evaluated
as an indicator of normal biological prcesses, pathogenic processes, or
pharmacologic responses to a[n] … intervention” (Biomarkers Definitions
Working Group, 2001). Example: cholesterol level.
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78 NANOTECHNOLOGY AND ONCOLOGY
biomolecule—molecule produced by a living organism, such as a protein,
nucleic acid, or other biochemical.
cantilever—an object projecting out into open space with support only on
one side. A diving board is an example. In microtechnology or nanotech-
nology, thin cantilevers composed of various materials can be used for
precise measurements, such as in atomic force microscopy and the small
mass measuring device discussed in this workshop summary.
cellular pumps—membrane protein complexes that transport molecules
such as lipids and other biomolecules, drugs, and other chemicals into or
out of a cell. Cellular pumps are involved in removing foreign substances
from cells, and so adaptations to a particular drug or class or drugs can
lead to drug resistance.
chemiluminescence—occurs when the energy released from a chemical
reaction is in the form of light rather than heat.
colorimetric assay—a test used to detect levels of a chemical or biomol-
ecule or completion of a chemical or biological reaction using a change in
color due to change in pH of an indicator chemical, chemical composition
of the reaction solution, or aggregation of colloidal particles.
contrast material—substance used during biological imaging to enhance
the viewer’s ability to distinguish between features. Contrast materials
consist of fluorescent or radioactive molecules or atoms as well as metal-
lic or fluorescent nanoparticles. Contrast materials preferentially travel
to locations in biological samples based on their chemical and biological
properties.
cytotoxic—the property of being harmful to the health of cells.
dendrimer—a branched polymer whose branching is symmetric. One
or more polymers can be used to synthesize a dendrimer, and each com-
ponent will affect the properties of the dendrimers. Dendrimers have
discrete molecular weights and can have sizes in the nanometer range.
dose-related toxicities—harmful effects of substances related to the
amount of the substance to which an organism is exposed.
ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay)—a test which detects pro-
teins in solutions by first selectively capturing the proteins out of solu-
tion onto a surface and then attaching fluorescent probes to the proteins.
ELISA assays often probe many proteins at once using different capture
agents in different wells of a microtiter plate.
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79
GLOSSARY
endocytosis—process by which cells internalize objects and molecules.
epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)—a receptor that is overpro-
duced in several solid tumors, including breast and lung cancers. Its
overproduction is linked to a poorer prognosis because it enables cell
proliferation, migration, and the development of blood vessels. Several
FDA-approved drugs specifically target EGFR.
hemolysis—rupturing of red blood cells. The ability of a substance to
cause hemolysis can be evaluated as part of a toxicological assessment of
the substance.
histopathology—examination of tissue samples in order to understand
disease processes in the organism from which the sample was obtained.
kinetics—in physics, the study of motion. In chemistry, the study of reac-
tion dynamics.
leukocyte—white blood cells, which are important components of the
immune system.
liposomes—small particles constructed from lipid bilayers. A liposome
can carry molecules in its interior cavity; the carried molecules are most
often water soluble.
LMWP (low-molecular-weight peptide)—In the context of this summary,
LMWPs are components of blood samples that can potentially be used to
develop new medical therapies.
MALDI TOF MS (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-
flight mass spectrometry)—a type of spectrometry used to identify com-
ponents of materials that are difficult to measure by more traditional mass
spectrometry methods.
magnetic resonance imaging—in this method of imaging, a magnetic
field is used to align the magnetic moments of protons in some atoms,
such as the hydrogen atoms in water found in body tissues. The decay
of the alignment is then measured and used to create images. Differences
in contrast are due to differences in chemical properties of tissues. For
example, fat has less water than blood, and so they would appear with
different intensities on an image.
magneto–fluorescent nanoparticles (MFNP)—nanoparticles with both
magnetic and fluorescent properties. Such nanparticles can be made from
silica infused with both a fluorescent dye and iron oxide nanoparticles.
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80 NANOTECHNOLOGY AND ONCOLOGY
micelle—small particle constructed from lipid layers. A liposome can carry
molecules in its interior cavity; these molecules are usually hydrophobic.
molecular signature—a distinctive set of biomolecules or biochemicals
present in the bloodstream or a particular tissue indicating a healthy or
disease state.
nanobiochip sensor—test consisting of a nano-sized capture well on a
polymer base. In a single well, cells are captured, labeled, and imaged,
speeding and miniaturizing multiple laboratory processes.
nanodevice—a device (medical device in this context) possessing size in
the nanometer range or some property dependent on the nanoscale size
of a device component.
nanodiagnostics—a diagnostic test possessing size in the nanometer
range or some property dependent on the nanoscale size of a device
component.
nanomanufacturing—manufacturing of nanotechnology products.
nanomaterials—materials whose size is in the nanometer range or whose
components are in the nanometer range.
nanomedicine—medical breakthroughs dependent on nanotechnology.
nanometer (nm)—one billionth of a meter. A strand of DNA is approxi-
mately 2 nm in diameter.
nanoparticle—a piece of matter with at least one dimension between
about 1 and 100 nm.
nanoscale—the size range from about 1 to 100 nm.
nanoshell—nanomaterial with a core of silica and a metallic outer layer
and can be decorated with molecular probes for cancer-related com-
pounds. Nanoshells can be used to image tumors and for theranostics.
Nanoshells are also used to provide targeted delivery of drugs to tumor
cells.
nanostructure—a collection of atoms, molecules, or nanoparticles whose
relative positions are engineered chemically or physically on the nano-
meter or micron scale.
nanotechnology—“the understanding and control of matter at dimen-
sions between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers, where unique phe-
nomena enable novel applications. Encompassing nanoscale science, engi-
neering, and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring,
modeling, and manipulating matter at this length scale” (NNI, 2010).
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81
GLOSSARY
nanotoxicity—toxicity of a material resulting from its nanoscale proper-
ties as distinguished from the toxicity caused by the same material in
bulk form.
nanotube—most commonly, this term refers to tubes formed by graphitic
sheets of carbon atoms. Carbon nanotubes can be as narrow as just a
few nanometers and up to hundreds of microns in length or longer. Car-
bon nanotubes can be conducting or semiconducting depending on their
atomic arrangement, and individual nanotubes are very strong.
nanowire—a wire whose diameter is in the nanoscale range. Nanowires
can range from several hundred nanometers in length to many microns
and longer. Nanowires can be synthesized or fabricated from many dif-
ferent materials.
neoplastic—possessing characteristics of abnormal new tissue growth.
PEGylated—property of being coated with molecules of polyethylene
glycol or functionalized polyethylene glycol.
pharmacodynamics—the effects of a drug and its metabolites on a living
organism, including how the effects are modified by characteristics of the
organism treated with the drug.
pharmacokinetics (PK)—the chemical evolution of a drug after admin-
istration to a living organism, including lifetimes, metabolic products,
biodistribution, and routes of clearance from the organism.
phase I clinical trial—a clinical trial in a small number of patients in
which the toxicity and dosing of an intervention are assessed.
phase II clinical trial—a clinical trial in which the safety and preliminary
efficacy of an intervention are assessed.
phase III clinical trial—a large clinical trial in which the safety and effi-
cacy of an intervention are assessed in a large number of patients. The
Food and Drug Administration generally requires new drugs to be tested
in phase III trials before they can be put on the market.
photolithography—method by which precise patterns are transferred
from a master pattern (a mask) onto a substrate. This method is used to
fabricate computer chips, for example.
quantum dots—nanocrystals made from one or more types of semicon-
ducting materials. Quantum dots specifically refer to nanocrystals that
fluoresce when excited with light. These nanocrystals are used as imag-
ing labels for biological imaging and have several advantages over tra-
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82 NANOTECHNOLOGY AND ONCOLOGY
ditional organic fluorescent dyes, including longer fluorescence lifetimes
and the ability to fluoresce when excited with a broad range of excitation
wavelengths.
reticuloendothelial system (RES)—a component of the immune system
consisting primarily of macrophages and monocytes.
self-assembly—process that occurs when a system—often of similar
shape, size, or composition—move from a disordered to a more ordered
state as the system approaches equilibrium. Characteristics that work to
effect the ordered state include physical and chemical properties such
as polarizability, surface charge, and hydrophobicity and forces such as
capillary action.
target moiety—a part of a molecule that is selected for binding of an
antibody or drug for an assay, treatment, or medical device (such as an
imaging contrast enhancer).
theranostics—molecular complexes that enable both a diagnostic test and
delivery of a therapeutic agent simultaneously in a living organism.
therapeutic target—the destination for delivery, binding, or therapeutic
effect of a drug or other medical treatment.
transgenic—possessing, referring to, or being a gene from one species
residing in another species.
tumor necrosis factor (TNF)—a protein involved in inflammation, it
causes cell death, including by causing cell death of tumor cells.
xenograft—cells, tissues, or organs that have been transferred from one
species to another.
REFERENCES
Biomarkers Definitions Working Group. 2001. Biomarkers and surrogate endpoints: Pre-
ferred definitions and conceptual framework. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
69(3):89–95.
NNI (National Nanotechnology Initiative). 2010. What Is Nanotechnology? http://www.nano.
gov/html/facts/whatIsNano.html (accessed January 3, 2011).
