It’s very early days as yet, but Japan is moving forward toward the goal of molecular-level machinery to control nanotechnology-based robotic devices for medicine. In the U.S. and Europe, the poorly-informed sometimes ridicule the prospect of such nanotech robots, but visionary goals are apparently okay in Japan. See the report and video at MSNBC from… Continue reading Japan takes lead in medical nanorobots
Bistable rotaxanes might be pressed into service as valves so that nanoparticles only release drugs in desired target areas.
As a follow-up to Monday’s post on optimizing nanoparticle design for nanotech drug delivery, the same research group has also demonstrated the advantages of a multistage approach in which micrometer-sized mesoporous particles are used to deliver two different nanoparticles in a way that circumvents some of the biological barriers that bedevil attempts to precisely deliver… Continue reading Nanotechnology uses two-stage vehicle to deliver drugs
Nanotech drug delivery vehicles may soon improve because it turns out that even those that appear to be promising are not well-designed.
In “Nanotech Puts Cancer In The Cross Hairs” at Forbes.com, Josh Wolfe describes the approaches of a number of companies developing nanotechnology-based treatments for cancer. Although only a snapshot of an area of intense activity, this overview highlights a number of the important issues. Unfortunately, when it comes to treating cancer, modern medicine is still… Continue reading Many companies trying to treat cancer using nanotechnology
A properly sized nanoparticle linked to a peptide that binds specifically to cartilage proved an effective drug delivery method when injected into the knees of mice.
Tetrahedrons made from DNA that extend and shorten in response to added short strands of DNA may provide new nanotech methods of drug delivery, but may present even more exciting possibilities for atomically precise functional nanosystems.
The Royal Society of Chemistry brings news of early work leading toward designed engines for nanomachines: Dutch scientists have made nanotubes move using enzyme-powered motors. Ben Feringa and co-workers from the University of Groningen, The Netherlands, have designed engines for nanomachines that could potentially be used in the body. Hydrogen peroxide has proven useful as… Continue reading Nanotechnology: Early work on nanomotors
Sonia Arrison over at TechNewsWorld takes on the issues of genetic engineering, nanotechnology, and steering innovation toward responsible uses: “When we look at cells as machines, it makes them very straightforward in the future to design them for very unique utilities,” Venter told participants at DLD. Of course, Venter has often referred to the possibility… Continue reading Steering nanotechnology to beneficial uses
The first issue of the journal Studies in Ethics, Law, and Technology (free reg req’d) is devoted to the topic of Human Enhancement and includes essays by familiar names (de Grey, Freitas, Wolbring, Cameron) and a number of newer ones. In “Medical Nanorobotics: Breaking the Trance of Futility in Life Extension Research (A Reply to… Continue reading Human enhancement with or without nanotechnology
