I've never been to Georgia Tech, but my dad studied there so I'd love to visit. Researchers at Georgia Tech have looked at using magnetic nanoparticles to remove cancer cells out of the body. Sounds almost like something from an X-Men movie. So much is happening in the world of cancer research. "Targeted therapy" is a buzzword that includes biological molecules, nanotechnology, and sometimes a combination of the two. The researchers at Georgia Tech are also working with other groups to see how peptide-directed gold nanoparticles and nanohydrogels might also be used to combat cancer. Source: Georgia Tech News

What happens when you take carbon nanotubes and coat cancer cells? Well, it gives you the ability to heat them up. What happens if you now expose those cells to near-infrared light? You may end up cooking those cells. This is what researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and University of Texas Dallas are doing. They are using monoclonal antibodies to coat cancer cells with carbon nanotubes. Then, the induction of hyperthermia leads to cell death. By using this technique, you don't cook the healthy cells. You only destroy the bad ones. Ellen Vitetta, MD, PhD, director of the Cancer Immunobiology Center at UT Southwestern is the senior author of the study.

The human brain does not have a standard blood supply like many other organs in the body. It is protected by something called the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB protects our brain from chemicals, drugs, and other toxins. Because of this barrier, it can be difficult to deliver therapeutic drugs directly to the brain and treat diseases. However, bioconjugated quantum rods and targeted probes may change all that. This nanoparticle-based concept may allow doctors to send certain drugs through the BBB and even use nanoprobes to diagnose different brain disorders. View the abstract here. I'm constantly amazed when I see where nanotechnology is taking us in the medical field.

Georgia Tech just wrapped up their Nanocamp for high school students. It ran from July 7 until the 11th and looks like the students had a lot of fun learning about nanotechnology. The camp is titled, "Advanced Topics Course: Nanotechnology Explorations" and students attend lectures and experience hands-on activities to learn about nanotechnology. Several other local universities also put together a summer a Nanocamp, so check your local listings. Maybe you'll find a summer program for your kids. Here's a story about a Nanocamp at the University of New Mexico.

MIT researchers are at it again. This time, they are using nano-tweezers to pull on molecules and measure the strength of molecular bonds. According to Matthew Lang, an assistant professor of biological and mechanical engineering, "We're trying to understand how nature engineered these molecular linkages to use in different ways." Lead author of the paper is Jorge Ferrer, a recent PhD recipient in biological engineering. Other MIT authors of the paper are Hyungsuk Lee and Benjamin Pelz, graduate students in mechanical engineering. Roger D. Kamm, PhD, the Germeshausen Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Biological Engineering is also an author on this paper. Professor Kamm was my academic advisor when I was a student at MIT. Source: MIT News.

If you happen to be visiting Greece this summer, you may want to swing by the 5th International Conference on Nanosciences & Nanotechnologies - NN08. This event is occurring mid-July 2008. Also, the 2nd International Summer School on "Nanosciences & Nanotechnologies"- SS-NN08 will also be happening in July. What a great way to meet researchers and learn about different advances occurring in nanotechnology. Some of the topics of interest include: Organic Electronics & Photonics and Nanoelectronics; Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine; Thin Films, Meta-materials and Spintronics; Nanomaterials, Nanoengineering and Nanomechanics; and many more.

Have you heard of the Nanopump? Well, Debiotech in Switzerland is developing the Nanopump to micro-dose medications by utilizing a volumetric membrane pump with a pair of check valves and integrating in a MEMS chip. According to their description: "The chip is a stack of 3 layers bonded together: a silicon on insulator (SOI) plate with micromachined pump-structures and two Pyrex cover plates with through-holes. This MEMS chip is assembled with a piezoelectric actuator that moves the membrane in a reciprocating movement to compress and decompress the fluid in the pumping chamber." Wow! The company is currently developing an insulin Nanopump and also a device that can be implanted into the body.