Nanotechnology News and Research

RSS

NanoImaging Services receives grant to develop methods for characterization of nanoparticle morphology

NanoImaging Services, Inc., announced today that it has received a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institutes of Health through the National Center for Research Resources to develop new methods for quantitative characterization of nanoparticle morphology and aggregation state using transmission electron microscopy. The grant provides approximately $200,000 in research and development funds for a Phase I study.

19 Apr 2010

Structure of Amyloid fibers surprises researchers

The Atomic Force Microscope depicts on its screen the few nanometer thick and few micrometer long fibers as white flexible sticks, crisscrossing the surface on which they are deposited. The very peculiar property of these proteins lies in fact that they can self assemble into complex ribbon-like twisted fibers.

19 Apr 2010

New nanotechnology biomedical therapy for joint injuries

Dr. Nirav A. Shah, MD, an orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon affiliated with Palos Community Hospital is the first to design a new nanotechnology biomedical therapy that promotes the growth of new, stronger cartilage to aid in the treatment of joint injuries.

16 Apr 2010

High sensitivity of Zetasizer Nano proves essential for protein aggregation studies

Dr Martin Muschol, Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida’s (USF) Department of Physics and his team are carrying out important research to gain a better understanding of protein aggregation phenomena, including protein crystallization and amyloid fibril growth. Using the Zetasizer Nano ZS, from Malvern Panalytical (Malvern Panalytical, UK), the USF researchers have been able to perform temperature controlled static and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements of protein hydration, protein interactions and aggregation kinetics in vitro.

From Malvern Panalytical 15 Apr 2010

Lauric-acid-filled nano-scale bombs for treating acne

A natural product found in both coconut oil and human breast milk - lauric acid -- shines as a possible new acne treatment thanks to a bioengineering graduate student from the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. The student developed a "smart delivery system" - published in the journal ACS Nano in March - capable of delivering lauric-acid-filled nano-scale bombs directly to skin-dwelling bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes) that cause common acne.

15 Apr 2010

Airgas signs five-year services agreement with UPHS

Airgas, Inc., today announced it has signed a five-year services agreement with the University of Pennsylvania Health System located in Philadelphia, PA. Under the terms of the agreement, Airgas provides off-site cryogenic repository services for long-term storage of research samples.

15 Apr 2010

Over 17,000 scientists convene at AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010

Scientific breakthroughs in molecular targeting, translational cancer research and cancer prevention will take center stage when more than 17,000 scientists from around the world gather at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, April 17-21, for the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010.

13 Apr 2010

Researchers invent zinc-stapled insulin to reduce insulin-related cancer risk

For millions of Americans with Type-2 diabetes and inject insulin to control diabetes (with onset typically in adulthood) the associated risk of cancer is of increasing concern. Studies have demonstrated that obesity and excess insulin - whether naturally produced by the body or injected in synthetic form - are associated with an increased incidence of some common cancers.

13 Apr 2010

New medical imaging technique using pulsed laser and nanocages

New research findings suggest that an experimental ultrasensitive medical imaging technique that uses a pulsed laser and tiny metallic "nanocages" might enable both the early detection and treatment of disease.

13 Apr 2010

Inbuilt sensor in cell phones for detecting deadly chemicals

Do you carry a cell phone? Today, chances are it's called a "smartphone" and it came with a three-to-five megapixel lens built-in-not to mention an MP3 player, GPS or even a bar code scanner. This 'Swiss-Army-knife' trend represents the natural progression of technology-as chips become smaller/more advanced, cell phones absorb new functions.

12 Apr 2010

Study suggests new ways to improve anti-cancer chemotherapies

A study released this week suggests that anti-cancer chemotherapies which use nanoparticles to deliver drugs deep inside tumor tissue will be more effective if the particles are positively electrically charged because they are taken up to a greater extent by proliferating cells, according to a team of chemists and chemical engineers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

12 Apr 2010

Researchers show iRGD peptide increases treatment efficacy against cancer

Researchers have shown that a peptide (a chain of amino acids) called iRGD helps co-administered drugs penetrate deeply into tumor tissue. The peptide has been shown to substantially increase treatment efficacy against human breast, prostate and pancreatic cancers in mice, achieving the same therapeutic effect as a normal dose with one-third as much of the drug.

9 Apr 2010

"Nanovaccine" reverses diabetes

A new study, published online April 8 by Cell Press in the journal Immunity, describes a unique therapeutic "nanovaccine" that successfully reverses diabetes in a mouse model of the disease. In addition to providing new insight into diabetes, the research also reveals an aspect of the pathogenesis of the autoimmune response that may provide a therapeutic strategy for multiple autoimmune disorders.

9 Apr 2010

Nanotechnology-based vaccine cures mice with type 1 diabetes

Using a sophisticated nanotechnology-based "vaccine," researchers were able to successfully cure mice with type 1 diabetes and slow the onset of the disease in mice at risk for the disease. The study, co-funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, provides new and important insights into understanding how to stop the immune attack that causes type 1 diabetes, and could even have implications for other autoimmune diseases.

9 Apr 2010

New Life MicroFab Division launched to provide micro-fabrication services

Life BioScience, Inc. has launched a new Life MicroFab™ Division that provides a broad range of micro-fabrication services for devices made in APEX Glass, APEX Ceramic, Silicon, Pyrex, SOI, Kapton and other standard materials used in the semiconductor manufacturing process.

8 Apr 2010

Officials of Kylin Therapeutics receive an issued patent from USPTO

Officials of Kylin Therapeutics Inc., a leading RNAi company, announced this week that they received an issued patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

7 Apr 2010

Study: Carbon nanotubes degraded by MPO enzyme induce less inflammation

A team of Swedish and American scientists has shown for the first time that carbon nanotubes can be broken down by an enzyme - myeloperoxidase (MPO) - found in white blood cells.

6 Apr 2010

Selecta Biosciences raises $15M in new Series C financing round

Selecta Biosciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing synthetic nanoparticle vaccines, today announced that it has raised $15 million in a Series C financing round. OrbiMed Advisors LLC led the round, with participation from existing investors Polaris Venture Partners, Flagship Ventures, NanoDimension and Leukon Investments. The Series C financing brings the total capital raised by Selecta over the past 15 months to more than $30 million.

5 Apr 2010

Scientists show carbon nanotubes can be broken down by MPO

A team of Swedish and American scientists has shown for the first time that carbon nanotubes can be broken down by an enzyme - myeloperoxidase - found in white blood cells. Their discoveries are presented in Nature Nanotechnology and contradict what was previously believed, that carbon nanotubes are not broken down in the body or in nature.

5 Apr 2010

Some therapies being investigated for Alzheimer's disease may cause cell death: UCSD

Some current therapies being investigated for Alzheimer's disease may cause further neural degeneration and cell death, according to a breakthrough discovery by UC San Diego researchers. By combining three dimensional computer simulations with high resolution atomic force microscopy membrane protein and cell imaging, electrical recording and various cellular assays, UCSD nano-biophysicist Ratnesh Lal and his colleagues investigated the structure and function of truncated peptides, known as nonamyloidgenic peptides, formed by some Alzheimer's drug candidates.

5 Apr 2010