Nanotechnology based materials are being used in cancer detection, treatment, and understanding. Better control at cell-chip interface shall remain an area of development. Advances in this direction shall impact understanding of heterogeneity in behavior at single cell level. There are heterogeneities in gene and protein expression at points separated by distances comparable to few cell diameters. Advances made in the field of fluorescence indicators and microelectronics shall play an important role in advancing this understanding. Biotechnology based advances in understanding are also going to facilitate development of drugs. Whereas early detection of cancer will gain from capability to detect markers in diminishing concentrations, equally important will be development of capability to recognize cell dysfunction at early stages and correlate it with possibility of development of cancer or the quality of healing.

Advances in mechanical, electrical and biochemical probing at nanoscale shall aid elucidation of sub-cellular events. Developments in microchip technologies shall result in techniques that ensure improvements in relaying output of nanoprobes to detectors. Development of stand-alone chips that accomplish automation of output and high-resolution analysis of vast biological data shall receive attention in days to come.

Future microchips for medical diagnostics and assays meant for toxicity detection will have to incorporate biomaterials that facilitate communication at the cellular level. Work is underway to increase the sensitivity of biosensors in detection of bacteria, viruses or biotoxin agents. Technologies for monitoring response of cell to changes in environment are being developed. Developing cellular markers that report interaction among...