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Cellular & Molecular Medicine Research

Editorial

Volume 1, Number 1, September 2023, pages 1-2

Nanotechnology in the Horizon: The Introductory Editorial for Cellular and Molecular Medicine Research

Nanotechnology is handling any substance on a near-atomic scale to yield new assemblies, constituents, and devices. This technology has gained momentum in the second decade of this century. New technology in molecular biology and quantum physics advancements has been a pillar in underpinning new platforms and discoveries [1].

Genetically engineered osteosarcoma cells were established using the CRISPR-Cas9 technique. CRISPR-Cas9 is the abbreviation for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9 [2]. CRISPR-Cas9 is adapted from a genome editing system detected in bacteria. The bacteria target snippets of DNA from invading biological structures (e.g., viruses). They use them to produce DNA segments known as CRISPR arrays. If a virus attacks again, the bacteria generate RNA segments from the CRISPR arrays to target the virus’ DNA specifically. Then, the bacteria utilize Cas9 to cut the DNA apart, which inactivates the virus. Like the natural system, the CRISPR-Cas9 method is used in the laboratory. A small piece of RNA is created with a short “guide” sequence. This sequence binds to a designed target sequence of DNA in a genome. Moreover, the RNA links to the Cas9 enzyme. The modified RNA identifies the DNA sequence of interest. The Cas9 enzyme cuts the DNA at the specific location. Once the DNA is reduced, the cell’s DNA repair machinery is utilized to add or delete pieces of genetic material or make changes to the DNA by replacing an existing segment with a customized DNA sequence. The knockdown of insulin growth factor 1 (IGF1) and insulin growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) genes was validated via genome sequencing against wild-type cells and confirmed by flow cytometry for a better understanding of the cellular pathology since the beginning of the ontogenesis [3].

Nanotechnology and molecular biology coupled with quantum physics advances promise scientific advancement in many sectors such as medicine, energy, materials, and manufacturing. Nanomaterials are defined as those objects that have a length scale between 1 and 100 nanometers (one nm equals 10^-3 µm or 10^-6 mm, or 10^-9 m) and can be compared to the size of a cell. Prokaryotic cells are 0.1 - 5.0 µm in diameter, significantly smaller than eukaryotic cells, with diameters ranging from 5 to 100 µm (micrometers). In the nanoscale environment, materials begin to exhibit unique properties that hint at physical, chemical, and, of course, biological behavior. Even though hazards in nanotechnology-related industries are still under investigation, the potential of a breakthrough in medicine, biology, and other sciences is real. For example, low solubility nanoparticles are crucial in penetrating biological structures of several organs and tissues. Nanotechnology encompasses the science of materials, and quantum physics plays an essential role. Quantum materials characterization and synthesis, including quantum wells, wires, and dots will be key in this century’s discoveries. Bi-dimensional (2D) materials demonstrating quantum phenomena will be crucial in penetrating the insights of the biological matter. Optoelectronics, photonics, and electromechanical devices at the nanoscale can interact with biological substrates. This interaction will be key in selecting new devices for the market of medicine and pharmacology. Nanotechnologies are also key for tissue engineering. They include nanomaterials for cell and tissue manipulation and engineering, nanocomposite scaffolds, and nanotechnology-based devices to sense and trigger tissue function.

The Cellular and Molecular Medicine Research (CMMR) journal is multidisciplinary, open access, peer-reviewed biomedical journal with a renewed style, approach, and connection with scientists and physicians worldwide. CMMR is a creative and innovative hub of the future, allowing you to publish using several media. We look for research articles at the cellular and molecular level in science, ranging from the basic biological, biophysical, and bioengineering to behavioral sciences. The journal aims to help young researchers. We also encourage the submission of case reports as long as they contribute to advancing science and medicine knowledge and focus on the pathogenetic mechanisms of disease. All contributions submitted for publication undergo single-blind peer-review by at least two renowned experts in the field. The Editor-in-Chief will make his first decision within 7 days of submission. The CMMR journal is also looking for societies willing to choose this platform as their official organ for scientific communications. Our goal is to develop, synthesize, and disseminate medical, scientific, and scholarly knowledge unique to universities and healthcare institutions. CMMR welcomes the English language (British or American) written original articles, reviews, case reports, opinion papers, and perspectives covering all topics highlighted above. We also publish editorials, letters to the editor, and guidelines and recommendations. All articles published in CMMR will be open access, and the article processing charge (APC) is waived until June 30, 2024. I want to emphasize that we strictly follow the International Committee of the Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines. This entity developed the best recommendations to review superlative practice and ethical standards in the comportment and reporting of biomedical research published in medical journals. We offer one of the shortest turnaround times available in the literature, high-quality single-blind peer-review, an international and renowned editorial board, an international readership, and a global reach eager to learn and acquire new knowledge.

Acknowledgments

Dr. C. Sergi’s research has been funded by the generosity of the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and supporters of the Lois Hole Hospital for Women through the WCHRI, Hubei Province Natural Science Funding for Hubei University of Technology (100-Talent Grant for Recruitment Program of Foreign Experts Total Funding: Digital PCR and NGS-based diagnosis for infection and oncology, 2017 - 2022), Osterreichische Krebshilfe Tyrol (Krebsgesellschaft Tirol, Austrian Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute, 2008), Austrian Research Fund (Fonds zur Forderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung, FWF, Grant ID L313-B13), Canadian Foundation for Women’s Health, Cancer Research Society (von Willebrand factor gene expression in cancer cells), Canadian Institutes of Health research (Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Treatment of Intestinal Failure Associated Liver Disease: A Translational Research Study), and the Saudi Cultural Bureau, Ottawa, Canada. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Financial Disclosure

This study was supported by Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI, Grant ID #: 2096) to Dr. C. Sergi (University of Alberta, Canada). The first author has received funding from several agencies.

Conflict of Interest

None to declare.

Author Contributions

The author is the sole contributor of this editorial.

Data Availability

The author declares that data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.

1. Sergi CM (February 13th, 2019). Digital pathology: the time is now to bridge the gap between medicine and technological singularity. Interactive Multimedia - Multimedia Production and Digital Storytelling, Dragan Cvetkovic, IntechOpen. Available from: https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/6563.
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2. Burnett M, Abuetabh Y, Wronski A, Shen F, Persad S, Leng R, Eisenstat D, et al. Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles Induce Apoptosis in wild-type and CRISPR/Cas9-IGF/IGFBP3 knocked-out Osteosarcoma Cells. J Cancer. 2020;11(17):5007-5023.
   doi pubmed pmc
3. Sergi CM. Pathology of childhood and adolescence: an illustrated guide, 1st ed. 2020.

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Cellular and Molecular Medicine Research is published by Elmer Press Inc.