nanotechnology /-teknol′əjē/ , technology at the level of atoms, molecules, and molecular fragments, including their manipulation and the creation of new structures. Nanotechnology holds great promise in health care and is already being used as the basis for new, more effective drug delivery systems. The National Cancer Institute has created the Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer in anticipation of breakthroughs in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of some forms of cancer.
