December 10, 2008
Nanoscientists have always had a degree of nervousness about the way that public opinion of their science might unfold. This unease is underpinned by a set of preconceptions about people’s reactions to new technologies in general. Some of these assumptions … Read More
December 8, 2008
When it comes to the world of the very, very small — nanotechnology — Americans have a big problem: Nano and its capacity to alter the fundamentals of nature, it seems, are failing the moral litmus test of religion. (PhysOrg)
November 25, 2008
For traditionalists it certainly is jolly good, absolutely spiffing, actually, to be able to open a report on leading edge 21st century nanotechnology and be confronted with a preamble that contains these phrases right out of the 19th century: “Twenty-seventh … Read More
November 25, 2008
The Hastings Center and the Centre for Biomedical Ethics (CBmE) at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (YLLSoM, NUS) have announced a collaboration aimed at expanding bioethics scholarship in Asia. The collaboration draws on The … Read More
November 6, 2008
Cosmetics containing tiny “nano” particles are being used widely despite unresolved issues surrounding their safety, a consumer watchdog warns. (BBC)
October 21, 2008
NanoEthics (Volume 2, Number 2, August 2008) is now available by subscription only. Articles include: “Ethics and Nanotechnology: Views of Nanotechnology Researchers” by Robert McGinn, 101-131 “Visions of Brazilian Scientists on Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies” by Noela Invernizzi, 133-148 “Ethics of … Read More
October 14, 2008
The Egyptian government and IBM Research will join forces to establish the first North African nanotechnology research centre in Cairo, beginning January 2009. (SciDev)
October 13, 2008
UK researchers are using microscopic “nanoprobes” to find new drugs to tackle antibiotic resistance. The tiny ultra-sensitive probes can measure how well a drug binds to bacteria and its ability to weaken and destroy the bug. (BBC)
October 8, 2008
In the tiny realm of nanotechnology, scientists have used a wide variety of materials to build atomic scale structures. But just as in the construction business, nanotechnology researchers can often be limited by the amount of raw materials. Now, Biodesign … Read More
October 1, 2008
Scientists are finding that particles that are barely there – tiny objects known as nanoparticles that have found a home in electronics, food containers, sunscreens, and a variety of applications – can breech our most personal protective barrier: The skin. … Read More
September 12, 2008
Scientists have developed nanometer-sized ‘cargo ships’ that can sail throughout the body via the bloodstream without immediate detection from the body’s immune radar system and ferry their cargo of anti-cancer drugs and markers into tumors that might otherwise go untreated … Read More
September 10, 2008
New nanotechnology paints for walls, ceilings, and surfaces could be used to kill hospital superbugs when fluorescent lights are switched on, scientists heard today at the Society for General Microbiology’s Autumn meeting being held this week at Trinity College, Dublin. … Read More
September 8, 2008
Cell Stem Cell (Volume 3, Issue 2, August 2008) is now available by subscription only. Articles include: “Genetic Modification-free Reprogramming to Induced Pluripotent Cells: Fantasy or Reality?” by Takashi Tada, 121 “Uncapping the Potential of Renal Stem Cells” by Susan … Read More
September 4, 2008
UCLA scientists have succeeded in making unique nanoscale droplets that are much smaller than a human cell and can potentially be used to deliver pharmaceuticals. (PhysOrg)
September 4, 2008
Nanotechnology and synthetic biology are two of the most exciting fields in science. They are the focus of venture capitalists, government and university laboratories, major corporations, and startup companies. (Medical News Today)
August 22, 2008
University researchers have found a way to use nanotechnology to have chemotherapy drugs target only cancer cells, keeping healthy tissue safe from the treatment’s toxic effects. Cancer researchers have been trying to figure out a way to better deliver drugs, … Read More
August 18, 2008
SINGAPOREANS are divided over the idea of allowing scientists to mix the genetic material of animals and humans, according the latest findings of an ongoing public consultation. (Straits Times)
July 28, 2008
State and local officials have taken steps to begin monitoring the manufacture and storage of nanomaterials, a major step for a cutting-edge technology that has yet to be regulated by the federal government. (EurekaAlert)
July 25, 2008
Russians have so far been able to have their blood plasma cleaned during an almost two-hour session of plasmapheresis priced at up to 5,000 rubles ($215) at clinics. Patients can undergo treatment for metabolic disorder and remove toxins from their … Read More
July 24, 2008
Nano is the voice of the future. Germany recognized this early on and, together with the USA, Japan and Korea, it now ranks amongst the leading nations in this sector of research and of the economy. (Nanowerk)
July 23, 2008
Researchers must address the lack of knowledge about risks posed by nanotechnology in the health sector to provide appropriate input to policymakers, cautions a leading expert of the European Commission. (SciDev)
July 21, 2008
A new technology will only be successful if those promoting it can show that it is safe, but history is littered with examples of promising technologies that never fulfilled their true potential and/or caused untold damage because early warnings about … Read More
July 21, 2008
Educating the public about nanotechnology and other complex but emerging technologies causes people to become more “worried and cautious” about the new technologies’ prospective benefits, according to a recent study by researchers at North Carolina State University. (ScienceDaily)
July 11, 2008
In the 1990s, a cancer drug called TNP-470 dramatically increased life span for some patients and led to complete cancer regression in others. But when neurotoxicity was detected in some patients, clinical trials were halted. This is a common problem: … Read More
July 1, 2008
Bioethics (OnlineEarly) is now available by subscription only. Articles include: “DEADLY PLURALISM? WHY DEATH-CONCEPT, DEATH-DEFINITION, DEATH-CRITERION AND DEATH-TEST PLURALISM SHOULD BE ALLOWED, EVEN THOUGH IT CREATES SOME PROBLEMS” by KRISTIN ZEILER, 12-Jun-2008 “AGAINST THE INALIENABLE RIGHT TO WITHDRAW FROM RESEARCH” … Read More
