a blog by the NSF Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology
For many of us, our news feeds and personal conversations have been dominated this week by COVID-19. The disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been in the U.S. for a couple of months, but public awareness has been increasing rapidly and we have reached the point where many university campuses …
Continue reading "COVID-19, Nano, and You"
Did you know that the skin is the body’s largest organ? It covers about 1.8 square meters!1 It serves as the body’s outermost protective layer by limiting the movement of molecules into and out of the body, holding all of the body’s organs close together, and being the first defensive barrier against foreign threats. But …
Continue reading "Nanoparticles Delivering Drugs Through the Skin"
In this episode, we talk with scientist MG Finn about how viruses are like (and unlike) nanoparticles, and some of the ways researchers want to use viruses to fight disease.
Although nanomedicine may sound like something out of a science fiction film, it is already being put to use in treating a range of human illnesses. Magnetic nanoparticles are currently in development as a promising new type of cancer treatment that uses nanoparticles to selectively heat tumors to temperatures high enough to kill cancer cells …
Continue reading "Magnetic Nanoparticles in Cancer Treatment"
In the excitement of the FIFA World Cup last summer, I found myself asking, “does soccer relate to nanotechnology in any way?” After doing some research, my honest answer is, not really. However, while doing my research, I did discover that researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are playing “nano soccer games” to …
Continue reading "Nanorobots can play nanosoccer and a whole lot more"
Imagine tiny gadgets wandering around in your bloodstream, travelling into your cells to seek out infections and fight diseases... Does it sound too fantastic to be true? Let’s explore just how close this science fiction scenario is to a reality. Before we get too far into this story, let’s first see where the idea of …
Continue reading "Teeny Tiny Motors That Fit in Your Body"
Scientists have discovered that tiny particles of gold injected into fat tissues can offer a new and potentially safer way to carry out liposuction procedures. Liposuction by definition is the process of removing excess fat found underneath the skin by suction. Although liposuction has a reputation as a low risk cosmetic surgery, this procedure is …
Continue reading "Liposuction and Gold Nanoparticles"
There is an ovarian cancer drug called DOXIL that is delivered to cells in a nanoparticle made of molecules of fat. But, how does the nanoparticle enter the cell? According to a recent study that uses computers to model this process, there are mainly 3 ways in which scientists think a nanoparticle can enter the …
Continue reading "How do Nanoparticles Enter Cells?"
Spring is officially here and I don’t know about you, but I’m excited to welcome back COLOR: the bright rays of sunshine, the baby blue sky, the lively green grass, and of course, the plethora of vibrantly colored flowers. But have you ever wondered what is color? To understand the marvels of color and how …
Continue reading "What is Color and How Can It Help Kill Cancer Cells?"
I present to you my cat, Graboid. She has nanoparticles coursing through her veins, and those nanoparticles may save her life. Grabby is 14 years old. She was not featured at the Internet Cat Video Film Festival at the Minnesota State Fair, but I still think she’s pretty great. Unfortunately, Grabby has oral squamous cell …
Continue reading "Nanomedicine Explainer – My Cat is in a Clinical Trial"
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