Russia was a late entrant to the nano horserace, but seemed to want to reduce its handicap with an incredible budget and goals designed to make itself a major player in the field. However, by 2011 the majority of the funds has not been made available to researchers and still sits in governmental vaults, including the funding for the now defunct Ekaterinburg’s technological centre.
Earlier this month BBC Radio 4 inteviewed Jonathan Flint, the chief executive director of Oxford Instruments — a very successful UK based company involved in the design and manufacture of specialized tools for research and industry — and, among other very interesting points about the pressures British universities are facing, Prof. Flint mentioned that the market for the company’s products was almost exclusively outside the UK. While his account reinforced the feeling that, when it comes to promoting innovation, the nanotechnology strategy in the UK is as useful as a pen with no ink, it raised the question — who is investing in nanotechnology?
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a multi-drug resistant bacteria that has become a public health nightmare. Infections in hospitals have become commonplace (the number of MRSA infections in intensive care units has increased over 30 fold in just three decades) and the bacteria is no longer limited to medical facilities, despite the adoption of preventive measures, having been found in unrelated places like prisons or locker rooms.
Of course, the proliferation of a potentially harmful bacteria is always cause for concern. Staphylococcus aureus infections are inoffensive as long as the lesions are restricted to the skin or mucosal lining, but quickly become dangerous — fatal, if left untreated — when they reach the bloodstream. Treatment with antibiotics greatly improves the prognosis, but not in the case of MRSA, which is resistant to the commonly used and most effective ones. Other drugs available now seem to have very limited effect, but a recently paper published in the journal Small suggests there might be a previously unexplored alternative — gold nanoparticles.
Related to the safety issue of nanotechnology (like the safety of silver concerns covered earlier) is the issue of labelling. Coincidentally, Dr. Guillaume Gruère published a very interesting opinion piece on April’s edition of Nano Today. Dr. Gruère is of the opinion that blanket labelling is, at this point, both impractical and ill advised.
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In local Florida (US) news, NBC reported some very interesting news about the Kanzius cancer treatment (one variation of using heat as a cancer treatment). The innovative method is completing another milestone before the clinical trials stage can be reached, with the company having started a series of tests on rabbits early last week.
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Silver nanoparticles are likely to be the most widespread type of nanoparticles in consumer products. Their use has been increasing and we can find them in everything from cosmetics to clothes or to home appliances. I look at a proud “this product uses silver nanoparticles” sticker every time I open the refrigerator. In this and many other cases, the use of silver is motivated by its anti-microbial effect, which makes it ideal to use in products where hygiene is paramount.
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The industry of prevention and treatment of acne is very profitable and thriving, but many of the commercial products have no real effect and the ones that do are often plagued by different degrees of effectiveness in different individuals. In this context, research for better and safe prevention and treatment of acne continues. Recently, a Japanese research team led by Dr. Satoshi Itami [1] reported interesting results using an unlikely candidate – fullerene.
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If you just bought a TV, it might very well be the last one you own without carbon nanotubes. In fact, it is likely you will find them not only in your TV, but also your computer monitor, your Kindle or on the touchscreen of your iPod and iPad. But there’s even more — they are even likely to find their way to solar panels. OK, so why would you want carbon nanotubes in all these products? Read on.
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For over a decade, there has been concern over whether the use of nanoparticles in sunscreen is safe. Early signs pointed to potential toxic effects, but as research advances the two nanoparticles commonly used for these purposes (TiO2 and ZnO) appear safer and safer. In an attempt to put the issue to rest, the Nanodermatology Society issued a press release (.pdf document) earlier this month with a clear message: yes, these nanoparticles are safe to used in sunscreen. So, if that’s the case, why did scientists have it wrong in the beginning? Well, the truth is they didn’t, but instead they were analysing different things.
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Our bodies have a remarkable ability to heal themselves. In most cases the damages can be flawlessly repaired, although some tissues are problematic, especially if the wounds have an irregular shape or are too extensive. This is a problem often found when healing cartilage, which is a slow and painful process. However, a study led by Dr. Peter Ma and recently published in Nature Materials addresses that obstacle.
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Header photo adapted from the original by EMSL and available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.
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