Nanotechnology News – Latest Headlines

International Symposium on Advanced Complex Inorganic Nanomaterials

The aim of this meeting is to offer an update of recent innovations in both fundamental and applied aspects highlighting new advances and progress in the field of nano-materials (inorganics, ceramics, hybrids, molecular and bio-inspired).

November 23, 2010 Read more

Methane-powered laptops may be closer than you think

Making fuel cells practical and affordable will not happen overnight. It may, however, not take much longer. With advances in nanostructured devices, lower operating temperatures, and the use of an abundant fuel source and cheaper materials, a group of researchers led by Shriram Ramanathan at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) are increasingly optimistic about the commercial viability of the technology.

November 23, 2010 Read more

Technology uses auto exhaust heat to create electricity, boost mileage

Researchers are creating a system that harvests heat from an engine's exhaust to generate electricity, reducing a car's fuel consumption. The effort is funded with a $1.4 million, three-year grant from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy.

November 23, 2010 Read more

Magnetic field directs nanoparticles to tumors

To improve the tumor-specific delivery of drug to tumors, a team of investigators has created a system of nanoparticles-within-a-nanoparticle that can be directed to and concentrated at the site of tumor using a magnetic field. Once at the tumor site, radiofrequency irradiation triggers drug release from the nanoparticles, bathing the tumors in drug and markedly reducing the growth of the tumors.

November 23, 2010 Read more

Expandable nanoparticles show promise in treating lethal abdominal cavity tumors

In attempt to develop a new therapeutic approach to treating peritoneal metastases, a research team at Boston University has developed a novel, drug-loaded polymeric nanoparticle that responds to the acidic pH inside tumor cells by expanding, releasing the anticancer agent paclitaxel slowly over a period of 24 hours.

November 23, 2010 Read more

Microfluidics-imaging platform detects cancer growth signaling in minute biopsy samples

Researchers have developed an in vitro method for assessing kinase activity in minute tissue samples from patients. The method involves an integrated microfluidics and imaging platform that can reproducibly measure kinase enzymatic activity from as few as 3,000 cells.

November 23, 2010 Read more

Nanoshells provide golden 'touch' in killing breast tumors

Gold nanoparticles have shown promise as miniature thermal scalpels that when irradiated with near-infrared light are capable of cooking tumors to death. Now, a team of investigators have found that gold nanoshells can be used to deliver just a little heat to breast tumor cells already treated with radiation, boosting the killing power of both therapies.

November 23, 2010 Read more

Second-generation device more effective in capturing circulating tumor cells

In 2007, Mehmet Toner and Daniel Haber and their collaborators at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School developed a microfluidic device capable of trapping rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from the blood of cancer patients. Since then, these investigators, working with Harvard Medical School colleague Shyamala Maheswaren, have shown that captured CTCs can be used to characterize tumors from patients with lung and prostate cancer.

November 23, 2010 Read more

Scientists crack materials mystery in vanadium dioxide

A systematic study of phase changes in vanadium dioxide has solved a mystery that has puzzled scientists for decades, according to researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

November 23, 2010 Read more

Monitoring wear in helicopters - and hips, knees, and ankles, too

Tel Aviv researchers apply an industrial monitoring technique to orthopedic diagnoses.

November 23, 2010 Read more

Novel fuel cell catalyst lowers need for precious metal

Chemists from Copenhagen, Potsdam and Hanau have taken the first step towards producing fuel cells using very little of the precious metal.

November 23, 2010 Read more

European Comsumers' Organization reply to the European Commission public consultation on nanomaterials

ANEC, The European Consumer Voice in Standardisation and BEUC, the European Consumers' Organisation have published their reply to the European Commission public consultation on 'Proposal for a Commission definition of the term nanomaterial'.

November 23, 2010 Read more

To be or not to be a pair - ultralarge molecules in a superposition

Physicist Tilman Pfau and his group showed, that these superposition states last for several millionth of a second - too short for a real relationship, but long enough for molecules.

November 23, 2010 Read more

Imaging with neutrons: Magnetic domains shown for the first time in 3D

So far, it has only been possible to image magnetic domains in two dimensions. Now, for the first time, Scientists at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) have managed to create three-dimensional images of these domains deep within magnetic materials.

November 23, 2010 Read more

USDA Office of Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis host risk forum on nanofoods

Application of a multicriteria decision making model based on probabilistic inversion to assess nanotechnology-enabled food products.

November 23, 2010 Read more

A wide range of nanocoatings in a few spray applications

Easy-to-use nano-coating sprays with optical, electronic, biological properties, etc to cover surfaces! Teams from the Institut Charles Sadron, in collaboration with researchers from the Laboratoire de Biomateriaux et Ingenierie Tissulaire, have managed to improve and extend their technique of 'layer by layer' deposition.

November 23, 2010 Read more