Dovepress Nanoinformatics: a new area of research in nanomedicine New industrial areas of development New informatics techniques may allow new companies and academic settings to work on nanotechnology and nanomedical research, without the large budget resources that are ususally necessary for traditional research in the area Enormous financial importance, with exponential growth in terms of investment and revenues. New job opportunities European groups can be funded by the US NIH and NSF and viceversa, facilitating collaborative research and exchange. International collaboration should foster interactions Opportunities for new research programs might arise, linking directorates and people working in the involved areas. Economic International collaboration I n d u s t r i a l l a n y o ic ati ol N p c i f i t n e i c S In fo rm a t ic s l Educationa Societal New synergy between established disciplines like biomedical informatics and nanomedicine, leading to a new subdiscipline or area which could be called nanoinformatics New academic programmes can be created or classical programmes – eg, BMI or medicine – can be expanded New working groups in biomedical informatics societies like IMIA, EFMI, AMIA or ISCB, can address nano- related issues Nanotechnology and nanomedicine have important associated issues, like nanotoxicity – both animal and environmental – and also ethical, cultural, media, entertainment, philosophical and even religious aspects There are challenges for linking BMI and nanoinformatics objectives, methods and tools that can be shared, exchanged and reused. Examples include databases, informatics tools, ontologies (biomedical and nano), services, etc Figure 1 Impact of nanoinformatics in different topics, modified from an earlier version presented by the authors in The ACTION-Grid White Paper.80 Abbreviations: AMIA, American Medical Informatics Association; BMI, biomedical informatics; EFMI, European Federation for Medical Informatics; IMIA, International Medical Informatics Association; ISCB, International Society for Computational Biology; NSF, National Science Foundation; US NIH, National Institutes of Health. be considered – as discussed in a December 2011 special have to incorporate a much broader range of research to issue of the journal Science on data reproducibility.117 In address the multidisciplinary types of questions involved. this sense, nanoinformatics could be a demonstration of Finally, nanoinformaticians – in analogy to what has been how to enhance data and model reproducibility in other proposed for biomedical informaticians by scholars such as scientific fields. Mark Musen – will have to act as “information brokers,”118 It is yet unknown whether the cost of research and connecting people with different scientific backgrounds and development in nanomedicine will significantly increase interests. the cost of biomedical research. In this regard, some posi- tive effects can be anticipated. For instance, nanoparticles Ethical issues could rescue or save from neglect failed or inappropriate Nanotechnology and nanomedicine present important ethical drugs for which most of the biomedical research has already issues, such as nanotoxicity, in terms of the organisms and the been done or they could be used for regenerative medicine.83 environment they try to control.119 A recent review concludes Similarly, the scientific and technological opportunities for that none of the ethical questions surrounding nanomedicine BMI–nanoinformatics interactions are many. are new or unique and that they would hold true for any new Educational and ethical aspects of nanomedicine will medical device or medicine that is being evaluated.74 The shift be a key issue for nanoinformatics, too. Nanotechnologists to nanomedicine creates a significant increase in technology are often people with backgrounds in chemistry, physics, use, which might change current clinical practice. On the and engineering. For nanoinformatics (and nanomedicine), contrary, Sandler75 argues that nanomedicine is more closely people with expertise in informatics, medicine, biology, linked to ethics than to risks, since it raises a broad range of pharmacy, and other fields will be necessary. Future programs unique ethical issues. These issues will have also an affect and degrees in nanomedicine – and nanoinformatics – will on public health.60,120 International Journal of Nanomedicine 2012:7 submit your manuscript | www.dovepress.com Dovepress 3877