Medlink 2004 Pathology Project Introduction and Background

The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology … Size does matter!

Nanotechnology and Medicine Overview What is this Nano stuff all about The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology Getting down to size Nanotechnology now Future Nanotechnology in Medicine Your Research Report

Background: What is Nanotechnology? Manipulating matter at the atomic scale Nano – Greek word for midget Nano means 10 -9, a billionth part 3 atoms measure about 1 nanometre Diameter of human hair is nm The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

The Past Four Decades Richard Feynman speech: Theres plenty of room at the bottom 1986 – Eric Drexler Engines of Creation 1990s – buckminsterfullerene known as fullerene or buckyballs The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

Current work Nanotubes – folded sheets of carbon atoms 100 times stronger than steel One sixth the weight of steel The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

New technology – New Tools Atomic Force Microscope and Laser Tweezers allow manipulation of individual atoms The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology Now! Technology and applications that are in production or that have been built and demonstrated to show that the technology works. The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

The Worlds Smallest Motor The gadget, 250 times smaller than a human hair, in mid-spin. A gold blade is attached to an axle made from a carbon nanotube. The ends are anchored to two silicon dioxide electrodes. The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology Applications Nanoscale electronics Airbag trigger sensor Self-cleaning window The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology versus Miniaturisation Machines and computers becoming smaller Nanotechnology is about building from atoms NOT just chopping more bits off to make things smaller Nanotechnology is going to try to copy Nature … so let us look briefly at Nature The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

Getting down to size The Size of Things - metres The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology metres Scale: m Example:humans

Getting down to size The Size of Things – 10 cm The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology 10 centimetres Scale: m x Example:Lily and Bee Copyright © by Bruce Bryson

Getting down to size The Size of Things – 1 cm The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology 1 centimetre Scale: m x Example:Bees Head Copyright © by Bruce Bryson

Getting down to size The Size of Things – 1 mm The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology 1 millimetre Scale: m x Example:Bees Eye Copyright © by Bruce Bryson

Getting down to size The Size of Things – 100 µm The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology 100 microns (micrometres) Scale: m x Example:Pollen Grain Copyright © by Bruce Bryson

Getting down to size The Size of Things – 10 µm The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology 10 microns (micrometres) Scale: m x Example:Bacteria Copyright © by Bruce Bryson

Getting down to size The Size of Things – 1 µm The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology 1 micron (micrometre) Scale: m x Example:Virus on a Bacterium Copyright © by Bruce Bryson

Getting down to size The Size of Things – 100 nm The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology 100 nanometres Scale: m x Example:Single Virus Copyright © by Bruce Bryson

Getting down to size The Size of Things – 10 nm The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology 10 nanometres Scale: m x Example:DNA within a Virus Copyright © by Bruce Bryson

Getting down to basics The Size of Things – 1 nm The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology 1 nanometre Scale: m x Example:DNA Molecules Copyright © by Bruce Bryson

Building from very Tiny to Big DNA 10 nm The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology A Virus 100 nm Bacteria nm Amoeba nm Pollen grain nm Nematodes nm Insects nm Small mammals nm Large mammals nm Molecules 1 nm

Learning from Nature Molecular machines Nature architecture – bottom up Simple building blocks – DNA Nature uses weak bonds, not the solid, covalent bonds of the chemist No mechanic in the cell - molecular parts snap together The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology and Medicine What will happen in Human Medicine? Come back for Part 2 Nanotechnology and Medicine YOUR Project The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

Medlink 2004 Pathology Project Nanotechnology in Human Medicine and Your Project

Future Nanotechnology Proposals for future uses of nanotechnology based on known possibilities. The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

Cleaning up Oil Spills Environmental clean-up is another imagined use for nanobots, with fingers built from nanotubes but in proportions 50,000 times as thin as a human hair. The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology in Medicine Lots more miniaturisation using nanotechnology components Disease – malfunctioning at cell level Post-surgery pain treatment Treatment of Diabetes Hybrid Electronic and BiologicalSystems The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology in Medicine Targeted drugs using biological computers to fight cancer Nano-microscope nano-lasers and nano-fountain pens! Nano-shells to blast cancer cells Nano-particles as homing devices Nano-shuttles – medical posties The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

The Research Project Now it is YOUR turn! Question: How can I carry out a sophisticated research project with no lab, no budget and limited time? Answer: Do a Gedankenexperiment The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

Gedankenexperiment Gedanken: German for thought, hence Thought Experiment Mostly used in physics a Thought Experiment aims to solve theoretical problems through reasoning based on known facts The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

The Research Follow up from this lecture with your own research – e.g. Google Starting with any of my suggestions, or those arising from your research propose your own nanotechnology developments and applications No Star Trek science permitted! Feel free to explore ethical issues The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

The Research Report Use the Medlink site for follow-up information Details lecture slides, notes, references etc How to submit: When to submit: by March Teamwork is good, expected, but not penalised Format of paper & length of paper - template Electronic publication details Notice board for self-support and questions The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology

The Research Report … and finally! All details on website from January When to submit by: March Teamwork – collaborate between schools Notice board for self-support and questions Marked by June 2005 or earlier Best papers published by September 2005 The Tiny, Tiny, Tiny World of Nanotechnology