Groundbreaking technological applications of nanotechnology in biomedicine: detecting emerging pathways from scientific and technological outputs

The purpose of this paper is to measure and analyze the rate of scientific and technological advances of nano-technological research in biomedicine. The approach, based on models of growth, shows the current evolutionary trends of nano-research that may underpin future patterns of technological innovation in biomedicine. In particular, results show that biosensors, nanoparticles, quantum dots, carbon nanotube and nanomicelle have innovative applications in diagnostics and target therapies that have been generating a revolution in clinical practice. The present study also shows two main implications of determinants that have been supporting continuous application of nanotechnology in biomedicines such as the patterns of technological innovation driven by converging research fields and a learning process. These factors have been paving the way to innovative nanomedical drugs applied in biomedicine that lead to longer, better and healthier living of patients and therefore of societies.