General
Nanotechnology Information
General Nanomedicine Information
TechnoMed Strategic Partners Publications
General Nanotechnology Information
Webster defines technology as "a technical method of achieving a practical purpose". "Nano" refers to one billionth of a unit. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter or about the size of 10 hydrogen atoms lined up "side-by-side" and 2.5 nanometers is about the width of a DNA molecule. In theory, nanotechnology might then be assumed to be the use or development of technology at the nanoscale. Experience teaches us that theory and practice aren't always super-imposable. Such is the case with nanotechnology.
Indeed, nanotechnology operates at the nanoscale working with atoms or molecules. The underlying principle of nanotechnology was originally proposed by Richard Feynman, (Nobel laureate, Physics), when he concluded that "The principles of physics, as far as I can see, do not speak against the possibility of maneuvering things atom by atom". Nanotechnology indeed focuses on the atomic or molecular level and in so doing, takes advantage of the unique properties and surface behaviors of such "structures". At nanoscale, quantum physics becomes important and the behavior of surfaces begins to dominate the characteristics of bulk materials. The properties of traditional materials change when they are formed into nano-structures and previously unobserved characteristics are demonstrated. The ability to manufacture nano-structures atom-by-atom allows for potentially unprecedented accuracy.
The importance of the unique properties of materials at nanoscale is reflected in the definition of nanotechnology developed by the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). "Nanotechnology is concerned with materials and systems whose structures and components exhibit novel and significantly improved physical, chemical and biological properties - and that enable the exploitation of novel phenomena and processes- due to their nanoscale size"
"If I were asked for an area of science and engineering that will most likely produce the breakthroughs of tomorrow, I would point to nanoscale science and engineering." Neal Lane 1998 Assistant to the President for Science and Technology
"Nanotechnology is the way of ingeniously controlling the building of small and large structures, with intricate properties; it is the way of the future, a way of precise, controlled building, with incidentally, environmental benignness built in by design." Roald Hoffmann, Nobel laureate, Chemistry
"Nanotechnology is the builder's final frontier." Richard Smalley, Nobel laureate, Chemistry
"Nanotechnology has given us the tools….to play with the ultimate toy box of nature - atoms and molecules. Everything is made from it…The possibilities to create new things appear limitless." Horst Stormer, Nobel laureate, Physics
Around the globe, governments, corporations, organizations and academic institutions are undertaking efforts in nanotechnology and ever increasing sums of money are being devoted to basic science, commercial endeavors and educational activities. In the United States, the National Nanotechnology Initiative was implemented in 2000 (www.nano.gov/nni2.pdf) in order to define, focus and fund the Federal Government's activities in nanotechnology. Budgeted funding for this program was $270M in FY 2000, $422M in FY 2001, $604M in FY 2002 and proposed $710M for FY2003. Similar programs at the state level are in various stages of implementation including CA, FL, GA, IN, NJ, NY, OK, PA, SC, TX, and VA.
Nanotechnology is multidisciplinary in nature. Broad success of nanotechnology depends on cross-fertilization and cooperation among several traditionally "stand-alone" scientific disciplines. Likewise, the success of nanotechnology will benefit many different fields. The June 2002 report of the NNI lists the following fields: materials & manufacturing, nanoelectronics & computer technology, medicine & health, aeronautics & space exploration, environment & energy, biotechnology & agriculture, national security and science & education.
TechnoMed Strategic Partners, Inc. focuses on the application of developments in nanotechnology to the advancement of medical practice.
Nanotechnology websites:
Institute
of Physics Website: www.nanotechweb.org
Nano Science and Technology Institute: www.nsti.org
Nanotechnology News: http://news.nanoapex.com
Nanotechnology at Scientific American: www.sciam.com/nanotech
National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI): www.nano.gov
General NanoMedicine Information
Nanotechnology applied to medicine will have both near and long term significant impact. Areas of research include the development of remote or in vivo diagnostics and treatment delivery devices, development of biosensors allowing for earlier disease detection, new approaches to treating infections using self-assembling nanostructures to seek and destroy microorganisms and tissue engineering to enhance success of tissue transplant or create artificial tissues or organs.
Nanotechnology is already impacting the area of drug delivery. Several companies have nanoparticle formulations of therapeutic agents in preclinical and Phase I, II and II human clinical trials. A few have achieved regulatory approval and are commercially available. Using nanoparticles "coated" with "seeking" molecules (e.g. antibodies or receptor targets) may allow for more targeted delivery of therapeutics. Such targeted drug delivery mechanisms are of particular interest in oncology where current treatments have significant negative side-effects.
Nanotechnology has already contributed to imaging through the development of a family of microscopes capable of observing and, in some cases, manipulating materials at the atomic level. Instruments such as atomic force microscopes (AFM), scanning tunneling microscopes (STM) and scanning probe microscopes (SPM) allow for atomic resolution of surface characteristics. Atomic force microscopy is the basis for dip pen nanolithography (DPN), a process for depositing molecules on a solid surface using the tip of the AFM to create nanometer scale structures.
Tools to improve laboratory analysis are under development. For example, a variety of substances formulated into nanoparticles, nanocrystals or nanospheres have unique inherent properties which allow them to fluoresce or produce other signals based on their size. Combining mixtures of such particles allows for the development of a sort of bar-code (or signature) allowing for the identification of nucleic acids, proteins or other molecules in an array format without the need for addition of external dyes. The ability to arrange or self-assemble molecules to form desired structures allows for introduction of new analytical technologies applied to filtration, concentration or purification of mixtures at nanoscale encouraging continued development of lab-on-a-chip type analysis.
Tissue engineering will benefit from developments in nanotechnology. Development of new materials which self-assemble may have important applications in bone repair or seeding the generation of new tissue (e.g. nerve or cardiac) following trauma or some surgical procedures.
Nanomedicine websites:
Nanomedicine (book) by Robert Freitas (1999): www.nanomedicine.com
TechnoMed Strategic Partners Publications:
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