For those interested in the longer-term applications of advanced nanotech to medicine — Over at Nanotech.biz, Sander Olson interviews (part 1 and part 2) Robert Freitas, prolific author of Nanomedicine and many other works on related topics: “…I immediately realized that medicine would be the single most important application area of this new technology. In… Continue reading Interview of Nanomedicine author Robert Freitas
Liveblogging the Foresight Conference: Apologies for not blogging yesterday’s afternoon session, including the “Controversies in Nanotechnology” talk (by me), the IP talk by Stanford prof Mark Lemley, the IP panel (I was moderating), and the Public Equity panel — featuring the colorful Michael Weiner of Biophan, who advised against taking investment funds from VCs. This… Continue reading Rigid addressable nanoscaffolds & single-stranded DNA origami
Researchers at Rice have build a single-molecule device that rolls along a gold surface, which they have nicknamed the nanocar. From Chemical & Engineering News: “A group led by chemistry professor James M. Tour constructed the tiny four-wheeler from an oligo(phenylene ethynylene) chassis and axle covalently mounted to four fullerene wheels. With the help of… Continue reading Light-driven motorized nanocar built at Rice: step toward molecular manufacturing
From Cordis News: “The objective of the NanoRoadMap (NRM) project, funded under the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) is to carry out a long term (ten year) forecasting exercise to provide coherent scenarios and technology roadmaps for nanotechnology applications in three important industrial fields: materials; health and medical services; and energy… “But these enormous benefits are… Continue reading EU NanoRoadMap to cover MNT, nanofactories
(This version of our conference desciption emphasizes the Research days. –CP) Researchers doing groundbreaking work in nanotechnology, or who have innovative scientific results relevant to emerging nanotech, are encouraged to submit abstracts by July 31, 2005, for presentation at the 13th Foresight Conference on Advanced Nanotechnology. Unlike special-topic meetings, the Foresight Conference series covers the… Continue reading Nanotech abstracts and Feynman Prize nominations due July 31
This sounds great: the Biomolecular Nanotechnology program at Arizona State. Work on "logic gates made from single molecules, molecular motors that move fluids in chip-sized laboratories, sensors based on cells interfaced to processors, artificial cells with chemical functionality and solar power" applied to "making molecular processors that can be incorporated directly into clothes, paint or plastics." Solid funding, international travel, industrial internships, attending nanoconferences. Also: "students in our program will explore the political and societal mechanisms by which decisions concerning science funding and policy are made and what impacts these decisions have had on society in the past." They'll need strong stomachs for that part! Making legislation is like making sausage; it can be more comfortable not to know. –CP
Betterhmans is reporting on progress of scientists at USC in combining several nanoscale technologies (transferrin based transport vehicles with small interfering RNA segments (siRNAs)) to effectively combat cancer, in this case Ewing's sarcoma, a type of cancer which impacts children. Interfering RNAs are small RNA strands which preferentially bind to complementary messenger RNA (mRNA). This activates cellular processes, presumably evolved to defend against double stranded RNA viruses, that destroy the double stranded RNA effectively reducing or eliminating the activity of the protein normally produced by the specific mRNA targeted by the siRNA.
The article with links to background information is here. There is significant potential for using this type of therapy to combat other types of cancer where the overexpression of a specific gene or protein is the primary cause of the disease.
While this is not diamondoid molecular nanotechnology it it can legitimately be considered molecular nanotechnology because it is nanoscale, it is based on precision activity at the nanoscale level and takes advantage of molecular processes and machinery normally found in cells.
Many Nanodot readers may be able to make the case to their employers that they need to understand the future of manufacturing. Take a shot at it now, so you can attend "Molecular Nanotechnology and Manufacturing: The Enabling Tools and Applications" on May 4 in Minneapolis, sponsored by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Speakers on molecular manufacturing include David Forrest and Chris Phoenix. Jim Von Ehr will speak on "Assembly Pathway to Nanotechnology: Meso to Micro to Nano". Other talks will likely include relevant info, e.g. IBM's Thomas Theis: "Over the next few decades, it should become possible to design and control the structure of an object at all length scales, from the atomic to the macroscopic, and to do so cheaply and reliably in manufacturing." Foresight president Scott Mize will meet with Foresight Senior Associates members that evening; contact the office to sign up.
Keith Gillette writes "Nanotechnology research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison provides the subject for the cover story of the Spring 2005 edition of On Wisconsin , the UW-Madison alumni magazine. From the examples used, the article appears to use the term nanotechnology in its popular sense, drawing no distinction with molecular nanotechnology."
Mike Treder writes "SUMMARY: The popular idea of so-called nanobots, powerful and at risk of running wild, is not part of modern plans for building things ìatom-by-atomî by molecular manufacturing. Studies indicate that most people don't know the difference between molecular manufacturing, nanoscale technology, and nanobots. Confusion about terms, fueled by science fiction, has distorted the truth about advanced nanotechnology. Nanobots are not needed for manufacturing, but continued misunderstanding may hinder research into highly beneficial technologies and discussion of the real dangers.
More…. [Ed. note — well worth reading]…
