Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem, especially among a type of bacteria that are classified as Gram-negative. These bacteria have two cell membranes, making it more difficult for drugs to penetrate and kill the cells.

Researchers from MIT and other institutions are hoping to use nanotechnology to develop more targeted treatments for these drug-resistant bugs. In a new study, they report that an antimicrobial peptide packaged in a silicon nanoparticle dramatically reduced the number of bacteria in the lungs of mice infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a disease causing Gram-negative bacterium that can lead to pneumonia.

This approach, which could also be adapted to target other difficult-to-treat bacterial infections such as tuberculosis, is modeled on a strategy that the researchers have previously used to deliver targeted cancer drugs.

There are a lot of similarities in the delivery challenges. In infection, as in cancer, the name of the game is selectively killing something, using a drug that has potential side effects, says Sangeeta Bhatia, the John and Dorothy Wilson Professor of Health Sciences and Technology and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a member of MITs Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and Institute for Medical Engineering and Science.

Bhatia is the senior author of the study, which appears in the journalAdvanced Materials. The lead author is Ester Kwon, a research scientist at the Koch Institute. Other authors are Matthew Skalak, an MIT graduate and former Koch Institute research technician; Alessandro Bertucci, a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California at San Diego; Gary Braun, a postdoc at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute; Francesco Ricci, an associate professor at the University of Rome Tor Vergata; Erkki Ruoslahti, a professor at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute; and Michael Sailor, a professor at UCSD.

Synergistic peptides

As bacteria grow increasingly resistant to traditional antibiotics, one alternative that some researchers are exploring is antimicrobial peptides naturally occurring defensive proteins that can kill many types of bacteria by disrupting cellular targets such as membranes and proteins or cellular processes such as protein synthesis.

A few years ago, Bhatia and her colleagues began investigating the possibility of delivering antimicrobial peptides in a targeted fashion using nanoparticles. They also decided to try combining an antimicrobial peptide with another peptide that would help the drug cross bacterial membranes. This concept was built on previous work suggesting that these tandem peptides could kill cancer cells effectively.

For the antimicrobial peptide, the researchers chose a synthetic bacterial toxin called KLAKAK. They attached this toxin to a variety of trafficking peptides, which interact with bacterial membranes. Of 25 tandem peptides tested, the best one turned out to be a combination of KLAKAK and a peptide called lactoferrin, which was 30 times more effective at killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa than the individual peptides were on their own. It also had minimal toxic effects on human cells.

To further minimize potential side effects, the researchers packaged the peptides into silicon nanoparticles, which prevent the peptides from being released too soon and damaging tissue while en route to their targets. For this study, the researchers delivered the particles directly into the trachea, but for human use, they plan to design a version that could be inhaled.

After the nanoparticles were delivered to mice with an aggressive bacterial infection, those mice had about one-millionth the number of bacteria in their lungs as untreated mice, and they survived longer. The researchers also found that the peptides could kill strains of drug-resistant Pseudomonas taken from patients and grown in the lab.

Adapting concepts

Infectious disease is a fairly new area of research for Bhatias lab, which has spent most of the past 17 years developing nanomaterials to treat cancer. A few years ago, she began working on a project funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop targeted treatments for infections of the brain, which led to the new lung infection project.

Weve adapted a lot of the same concepts from our cancer work, including boosting local concentration of the cargo and then making the cargo selectively interact with the target, which is now bacteria instead of a tumor, Bhatia says.

She is now working on incorporating another peptide that would help to target antimicrobial peptides to the correct location in the body. A related project involves using trafficking peptides to help existing antibiotics that kill Gram-positive bacteria to cross the double membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, enabling them to kill those bacteria as well.

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Streaming the Latest in Nanotechnology

The Remotely Accessible Instruments in Nanotechnology (RAIN) initiative gives students across the U.S.and the worldthe chance to control and view nanotechnology instruments that aren't available at their home schools

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Colleges, universities, and schools across the U.S. are sharing millions of dollars of nanotechnology instrumentation for training future high-tech workers using streaming media. The National Science Foundation estimates that 6 million nanotechnology workers will be needed worldwide by 2020. Two million of those workers will be needed in the United States alone. The Remotely Accessible Instruments for Nanotechnology (RAIN) network is on the leading edge of providing a proven method for disseminating the education necessary to train students in the toolsets and technologies needed for continued growth of the U.S. nanotechnology sector.

For engineers and scientists, nanotechnology is likely a familiar term. For the layperson, it can be a bit confusing. The nanometer is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one billionth of a meter (0.000000001 m). In a nutshell, nanotechnology deals with the fabrication, analysis, and production of very small structures in electronics, biotechnology, medicine, and untold consumer goods. Nanotechnology is impacting nearly every market sector. For example, Intels 7th Generation Intel Core i7 microprocessors have a feature size of 14 nanometers built on the semiconductor. The capability to create useful features at this size scale permits the 1.5 billion transistors to be fabricated on a silicon substrate. Without applied nanotechnology there would be no smartphones, no laptops or tablets, and certainly no mobile streaming capability available in the handheld devices we all use today. As important as nanotechnology is to the electronics sector, it may be even more life-changing in the areas of medicine and common consumer goods. Nanotechnology is the common denominator in solar panels, new medicines for the treatment and possible cure of cancer, cosmetics, clothes that never need cleaning, and the protective coatings on both your eyeglasses and the wheels of your new car.

The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) began in 2000 as a U.S. government research and development initiative involving the nanotechnology-related activities of 20 federal departments and numerous independent partners. More information available at Nano.gov. The2017Federal Budgethas allocated more than $1.4 billion for the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) programs. The total NNI investment since fiscal year 2001, including the 2017 request, now approaches nearly $24 billion. Nanotechnology represents applications that will cause a revolution in industries and technologies on a worldwide scale that will change the way we live on our planet. It is often stated that countries that do not embrace nanotechnology may be the unfortunate victims of a future failed economy. RAIN is preparing our future workers for great jobs in a growing market segment.

The author working with students at Pennsylvania State University

The RAIN offers a clear outline of its goals in its mission statement: The RAIN program engages the next generation STEM workforce (technicians, technologists, engineers, educators and scientists) in their day-to-day classrooms with a connection to experts and tools in labs at institutions where cutting-edge research is being performed. The need for this program is particularly the case for underrepresented and minority learners, and institutions that cant provide ready access to specialized facilities, tools, and expertise required for the study of nanoscale science, which is why most centers (e.g. Penn State, CNEU) offer this service free of charge.

The RAIN network began at the Pennsylvania State University and is currently led by nanotechnology evangelist Robert Ehrmann. He has been instrumental in providing the leadership for the initial project and the continued growth the network is experiencing. Assisted by nanotechnology professors and graduate students at the university many of their tools are remotely accessible from educational institutions around the world. Dr. Ozgur Cakmak leads the day-to-day operation and connections at Penn State and has even conducted a remote session with his high school alma mater in Turkey.

My first experience with the RAIN network was as an attendee at the Hands-on Introduction to Nanotechnology Workshop presented by the Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization (CNEU) at Penn State University. There I saw a scanning electron microscope (SEM), an atomic force microscope (AFM), and other tools that were networked and controllable by students at remote sites using readily available remote sharing and streaming software. I subsequently became a member of the newly created Nanotechnology department at Erie Community College. Our first remotely accessible instrument was also a scanning electron microscope operated by our technician Rich Hill. He regularly conducts remote sessions with students and teachers across several states. With an internet connection and a small software installation, students at remote sites can take control of our SEM to view biological samples, semiconductor circuits, and perform elemental analysis of samples at thousands of times magnification. The students have full two-way voice communication and are guided through the session by our technician. These sessions provide a tremendous opportunity to engage students with technology that their schools could likely not afford nor have the expertise to operate themselves. We provide a unique opportunity to engage students and show them the possibilities of nanotechnology careers.

Currently there are 10 sites in the RAIN network, with more sites in the continental United States coming online in the near future. Each of the partner sites has at least one remotely accessible instrument and over half have four to six instruments available for remote connections.

The current partners include the following schools:

Remote sessions are requested and scheduled via an online form and any of the partner sites can be requested from anywhere in the country. A test session is usually scheduled for first-time requests to assure the remote site has properly installed the videoconferencing software. Depending on the instrument and the partner site requested, the remote site will need to install either Team Viewer or Zoom. Both are free to download and use for the remote site. In-house samples can be used, or the remote site can send in samples they wish to view to the host site. Live sessions are then conductedl they can last from 15 minutes to 2 hours depending on the instruments used. Remote sites usually display the instrument video on video projectors for class use with two-way audio. The host site technician is always available to assist in the explanation of what the students are viewing and for changing samples for additional viewing.

At the Micro and Nanotechnology Conference held at North Seattle College, the RAIN leadership team concurrently connected to six of the network host sites as a demonstration of the network capabilities and available instruments for conference attendees. Through 2016 more than 1,700 remote sessions were conducted by RAIN host sites to remote sites in most of the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Additionally, international sessions were conducted to Turkey, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. More than a quarter of the remote sites had 25 or more student participants. Two-year colleges accounted for 37% of the participants, followed by high schools with 30%, and four-year colleges at 17%. Moret han half of the remote sites are already teaching some type of nanotechnology curriculum but lack local access to the instrumentation. The most requested instrumentation were the electron-based microscopy tools and most of the responses indicated that the primary reason for conducting the remote session was to teach students the fundamental use of the equipment and learn more about the field of nanotechnology. Eighty-five percent of the remote site instructors stated that their students could not have had this type of experience without the RAIN network, and more than 97% stated that they would like to conduct additional remote access sessions.

Erie Community College is just completing a new Center for Nanotechnology Studies in Williamsville, New York. The new facility will house a 1,600 square foot ISO 7 cleanroom for nanotechnology experiments, fabrication, and analysis of nano materials. In order to significantly increase our streaming capabilities, 12 high-definition PTZ cameras are mounted throughout the cleanroom for streaming laboratory demonstrations anywhere in the world. Network connections are available at every workstation to connect our instrumentation to the RAIN network for hosting remote sessions. We are currently hosting up to four remote sessions per week and we expect to greatly increase our connections in the near future.

RAIN is growing into a large national and international network of educational institutions providing leading-edge nanotechnology education for the visionaries and entrepreneurs of the future. All of the RAIN network partners are eager to share our technology and bring more hosts and remote sites into the network.

For more information and to schedule a remote session please contact the RAIN Network. At the website you will find introductory videos, information on the tools available, partner site information, a gallery of some of the nano-scale images, and a quarterly NANOWIRE newsletter.

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Scientists like to joke that realizing the promise of nanotechnology has been five years away for the last 35 years. That would imply that there isn't a single nanotech stock available to investors. But while we don't yet have quantum lightbulbs or graphene-based water desalination, this list of nanotechnology stocks proves that nanotech products actually touch our lives every day:

Company

Market Cap

2016 Revenue

Dividend Yield

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO)

$68.9 billion

$18.3 billion

0.3%

BASF (NASDAQOTH:BASFY)

$84.6 billion

$57.6 billion

3.6%

PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG)

$28.3 billion

$14.7 billion

1.1%

Chemours Co. (NYSE:CC)

$7.5 billion

$5.4 billion

0.3%

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)

$163.8 billion

$59.4 billion

3.2%

Data Source: Google Finance.

You may not think "nanotech" when you see the big names in the list above, but a closer look reveals how they're leading the evolution of the field.

Image source: Getty Images.

First, let's start with a simple question investors might want to ask: What is a nanomaterial? There's no universally accepted definition, but regulators around the world have generally defined a nanomaterial as a product that (1) has at least one dimension of 100 nanometers or smaller and (2) gains unique properties from that dimension. The second part of the definition is often forgotten, but it's what gives such tremendous potential to nanotechnology.

Some materials become more magnetic or better able to kill pathogens at the nanoscale, while others can access different physical phases entirely. It all depends on the material, which is what guides applications and product development for the top nanotechnology stocks.

All that research and development needs equipment, reagents, and services -- all of which are provided by Thermo Fisher Scientific. The company is most closely associated with life-sciences research, a growing area of the nanotechnology field. Whether enhancing MRI contrast agents or using DNA origami to build nanostructures that deliver therapeutics to specific locations in the body, the company has played a pivotal role spurring innovation from the earliest stages of research.

TMO data by YCharts.

Last summer Thermo Fisher Scientific boosted its ability to serve the nanotechnology field by acquiring FEI Company for $4.2 billion, incorporating high-powered transmission electron microscopes (TEM) -- the only way to image nanomaterials such as metals, living cells, and semiconductors -- into its expanding empire of analytical lab services. In case investors are wondering how it's going, fully 90% of the company's backlog increase from 2015 to 2016 comprised rising orders for analytical instruments. Only 20% of total sales last year came from the segment.

Of course, the point of R&D is to turn discoveries in the lab into real products. How else would companies make money from nanotech? It may not always be obvious, but you use products enhanced with nanomaterials each and every day. Here are a few examples:

Nanotechnology isn't usually associated with these businesses -- it's just part of the table stakes for competing in today's coatings and microchip industries -- and doesn't comprise a majority of product sales for most companies. Chemours Co. may be the sole exception, as it derived 43% of total sales last year from titanium dioxide, and another 42% from fluoroproducts such as nonstick Teflon coatings.

Still, these companies are the best nanotechnology stocks to buy today. Furthermore, they have the size and financial flexibility to make big moves quickly, should major advances allow the field of nanotechnology to deliver on its science-fiction-like potential.

Maxx Chatsko has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Berkshire Hathaway (B shares). The Motley Fool recommends Intel. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Home > Nanotechnology Columns > Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. > Canada Intends to Publish Nanoscale Prioritization Results in 2018

Abstract: According to the July 7, 2017, issue of the Chemicals Management Plan Progress Report, Health Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada are in the process of prioritizing nanoscale forms of substances on the Domestic Substances List.

July 10th, 2017

According to the July 7, 2017, issue of the Chemicals Management Plan Progress Report, Health Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada are in the process of prioritizing nanoscale forms of substances on the Domestic Substances List. See http://www.ec.gc.ca/ese-ees/default.asp?lang=En&n=6044455E-1 As reported in our July 27, 2015, blog item, Canada conducted a mandatory information-gathering survey under Section 71 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. See http://nanotech.lawbc.com/2015/07/canada-begins-mandatory-survey-with-respect-to-certain-nanomaterials-in-canadian-commerce/ Canada states that the survey identified 53 substances as being manufactured and/or imported at the nanoscale in Canada. Canada expects to publish the results of prioritization in spring 2018. According to the item, Canada is working towards developing a scientific risk assessment framework for nanomaterials, and continues to work with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to promote consistency with other jurisdictions. The goal of Canada's initiative is to identify the potential risks to human health and the environment that may be posed by nanomaterials in commerce in Canada.

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Canada Intends to Publish Nanoscale Prioritization Results in 2018 - Nanotechnology News

EDMONTON -- For years, serious guitar players have clung to their tube amplifiers, saying the rich sound is worth the hassle of old-school electronics.

Now, scientists at the University of Alberta have used the latest nanotechnology in a guitar pedal that duplicates that beloved tone without the inconvenience and expense.

"People generally use the word 'warmer,"' said Rick McCreery, a University of Alberta chemistry professor and researcher at Edmonton's National Institute for Nanotechnology.

Most consumer electronics, including non-tube guitar amps, depend on silicon-based devices called transistors or diodes. They work extremely well to help amplify electronic signals accurately and smoothly.

Too accurately, for many finely tuned musical ears. The sound of silicon lacks the rich harmonics and overtones added when a signal goes through a non-linear circuit, such as a tube.

"If you take an ordinary electric guitar and just amplify it, then guitarists would say this is sterile," McCreery said. "Guitarists didn't like the silicon because it was too linear, too accurate. It didn't generate nice harmonics."

Tubes, however, are fragile and expensive to replace.

Adam Bergren, McCreery's colleague and an amateur guitarist, knew that. He also knew that electronic circuits at the molecular scale have characteristics different from the straight-line response of silicon. At that scale, the rules of physics are different.

Together, they and their colleagues developed a circuit just a couple of molecules -- billionths of a metre -- thick. The team eventually created a non-linear circuit in a guitar pedal that responded just like a tube.

That pedal, dubbed the "Nanolog" and built in Edmonton, is already commercially available. It makes its industry debut this week at the National Association of Music Manufacturers in California, the largest such trade show in the world.

McCreery said their new business, Nanolog Audio, hopes to sell complete pedals and license the nanocircuitry to industry majors such as Fender or Boss.

The guitar pedal market is worth $100 million a year in the U.S. alone.

McCreery says the Nanolog is one of the very first consumer products available to use this type of nanotechnology. A previous pedal, called the Heisenberg and also developed in Edmonton, was released last year on a limited basis.

Guitar heroes are far from the only possible beneficiary from this type of circuit, said McCreery. Durable and reasonably priced, it could replace silicon in thousands of pieces of consumer electronics from stereo amps to cellphones.

Unlike silicon, the nanoscale circuit can be tuned to reflect whatever characteristics manufacturers desire, he said.

The Nanolog also underscores the importance of basic scientific research. McCreery said the first patents on the circuit date back to 2004 and researchers were working in the field for years before that.

"Basic research can have a fairly long incubation period," he said.

"I never intended to make music devices when I started doing this. It's not easy to tell what basic research is going to do for you."

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Scientists use nanotechnology to bring electric guitar sound to the next level - CTV News

Tiny particles found in televisions and tablets could be used to provide relief from eye infections

11 Jul 2017 by Selina Powell

Researchers are investigating the use of tiny particles found in the latest electronic displays to fight eye infections.

Quantum dots are small semiconductor particles that are a key component in nanotechnology.

A new study, published in ACS Nano, reported on the use of quantum dots as an ingredient in eye drops for the treatment of bacterial keratitis.

Researchers manufactured quantum dots by heating spermidine, a compound that boosts the effectiveness of antibiotics.

They found that the quantum dots disrupted bacterial cells while leaving animal cells unscathed.

The authors conclude that the new quantum dots are a potential alternative to conventional eye drop treatments for bacterial keratitis.

Current treatments for the eye infection include steroid drops, but these can result in scarring of the cornea.

Image credit: Antipoff

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Nanotechnology makes quantum leap into eye drops - AOP

Very few electrical engineering bachelor's degree programs offer a concentration in nanotechnology. And no nanotechnology degree program is as flexible, convenient, and affordable as Excelsior College's online Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology (Nanotechnology concentration).

An educational innovator for more than 40 years, Excelsior has taken the lead in developing the work force for the dynamic nanotechnology industry, which is poised for explosive growth.

Our online electrical engineering degree programs are designed for working adults who seek new career opportunities. Why is Excelsior the best place to gain the preparation you need for nanotechnology jobs?

Excelsior's electrical engineering degree holds accreditation from ABET. Our online nanotechnology courses meet the same academic standards that you'll find in a campus-based nanotechnology degree program. You'll study with exceptional faculty who have years of industry experience, while getting a practical education in nanotechnology that translates directly to the workplace.

By choosing the nanotechnology concentration within the bachelor's of electrical engineering technology degree, you'll gain relevant, up-to-date expertise in subjects such as:

Nanotechnology specialists are in demand in a wide range of industries, including computers, health care, energy, telecommunications, and manufacturing.

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Nanotechnology - Excelsior College

Home > Nanotechnology Columns > Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. > ECHA Announces Two Decisions on Appeals Related to Nanomaterials

Abstract: On June 30, 2017, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) Board of Appeal published two decisions related to nanomaterials.

July 6th, 2017

On June 30, 2017, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) Board of Appeal published two decisions related to nanomaterials. In the July 5, 2017, issue of ECHA Weekly, ECHA states that the Board of Appeal "largely upheld the appeals and annulled most of the requests for information." See https://echa.europa.eu/view-article/-/journal_content/title/echa-weekly-5-july-2017 In Cases A-014-2015 and A-015-2015, registrants appealed the same 2015 ECHA decision requesting information on synthetic amorphous silica (SAS) following a substance evaluation by the Netherlands Competent Authority. See https://echa.europa.eu/web/guest/about-us/who-we-are/board-of-appeal/announcements/-/view-announcement/301/search/true and https://echa.europa.eu/web/guest/about-us/who-we-are/board-of-appeal/announcements/-/view-announcement/302/search/true ECHA requested information on the physicochemical properties and uses of different types of SAS and surface-treated SAS. According to ECHA, the Board of Appeal annulled these requests "as it was not clear how the information would be used to clarify the potential concerns which in any case had not been sufficiently demonstrated." ECHA notes that the Board of Appeal upheld one request in the contested decision -- for information on the inhalation toxicity of one type of SAS, following repeat exposure.

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by Jaron Schneider

posted Thursday, July 6, 2017 at 1:40 PM EDT

RED, the company known for making some truly outstanding high-end cinema cameras, is set to release a smartphone in Q1 of 2018 called the HYDROGEN ONE. RED says that it is a standalone, unlocked and fully-featured smarphone "operating on Android OS that just happens to add a few additional features that shatter the mold of conventional thinking." Yes, you read that right. This phone will blow your mind, or something - and it will even make phone calls.

In a press release riddled with buzzwords broken up by linking verbs, RED praises their yet-to-be smartphone with some serious adjectives. If we were just shown this press release outside of living on RED's actual server, we would swear it was satire. Here are a smattering of phrases found in the release. We can't make this up:

Those are snippets from just the first three sections, of which there are nine. I get hyping a product, but this reads like a catalog seen in the background of a science-fiction comedy, meant to sound ridiculous - especially in the context of a ficticious universe.

Except that this is real life.

After spending a few minutes removing all the glitter words from this release, it looks like it will be a phone using a display similar to what you get with the Nintendo 3DS, or what The Verge points out as perhaps better than the flopped Amazon Fire Phone. Essentially, you should be able to use the phone and see 3D content without 3D glasses . Nintendo has already proven that can work, however it can really tire out your eyes. As an owner of three different Nintendo 3DS consoles, I can say that I rarely use the 3D feature because of how it makes my eyes hurt. It's an odd sensation. It is probalby why Nintendo has released a new handheld that has the same power as the 3DS, but dropping the 3D feature altogether.

Anyway, back to the HYDROGEN ONE, RED says that it will work in tandem with their cameras as a user interface and monitor. It will also display what RED is calling "holographic content," which isn't well-described by RED in this release. We can assume it is some sort of mixed-dimensional view that makes certain parts of a video or image stand out over the others.

There are two models of the phone, which run at different prices. The Aluminum model will cost $1,195, but anyone worth their salt is going to go for the $1,595 Titanium version. Gotta shed that extra weight, you know?

Strangely, the press release moves away from the impersonal format and adds a a direct voice. The release states explicitly that, "I can also assure you that after this initial release, we will NOT be able to fill all orders on time due to display production limitations. We will NOT guarantee these prices at the time of release. Taxes and shipping not included in the price." So like, better buy it now I guess.

The image of the phone is not final, as RED also states that the design may change, and that "specs and delivery dates can also change anytime for any reason." Luckily, should you choose to put money down on this completely unproven and unseen product, "payments are fully refundable for any reason prior to shipping."

Yes, I'm being hard on this product. I am not taking it seriously. Why? Because the release is totally ridiculous. The amount of marketing alphabet soup being thrown into this makes a prime target for my sarcasm gland, and certainly hard to take with any semblance of seriousness. Tech products, especially phones, fail all the time; even ones from well-known companies. Trusting a high-end professional camera company to make an expensive consumer device is already something to inspire a healthy amount of skepticism, but when it's compounded with hype-heavy adjectives and made-up words, I am just put even further on the "wait and see" side of these tracks.

But if RED can produce, I'll be happy to eat my own words and have my"SENSES" "ASSAULTED" by a $1,600 titanium phone powered by "nanotechnology."

Via The Verge

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RED's impending smartphone will assault your senses with nanotechnology for $1600 - imaging resource

LONDON, July 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Key findings in the report include - Opportunities in smart textiles will overtake those in apparel within six years

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4736143/

- Compound annual growth rates range from 14% in to 167% depending on the application - The value of nanomaterials used by the global textile industry will rise sharply from several hundred million dollars currently driven by the additional functionality demanded by smart textiles and wearables

Cientifica have been monitoring nanotechnology and smart textiles for over a decade and the report ranges from the latest advances in wearables to the use of nanofibers in dust and water filtration.

Nanotechnology, Smart Textiles & Wearables is the most up to date and comprehensive look at the sector and its 207 pages discuss over 250 companies active in the space.

Key Sections include: Smart Textiles, Wearable Technologies and the 4th Industrial Revolution; looking at how textiles and computing are converging and the factors driving this.

Markets; analyzing the global market for nanotechnology and smart textiles by application area. This section looks at apparel, home textiles, medical textiles, military textiles, technical textiles and textile based wearables. It also provides figures for the nanomaterials inputs (materials, coatings, inks, masterbatches etc.) required for each application.

Nanotechnology and Graphene In Textiles; examining why these materials are being used in textiles and what advantages they confer.

Applications; giving detailed description of current and proposed applications of nanotechnology by sector and covers Clothing and Apparel, Sports and Wellbeing , Energy Storage and Generation , Energy Harvesting , Fashion, Entertainment, Personal Protection, Military Textiles., Home Textiles, Medical Textile and Technical textiles.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4736143/

About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers http://www.reportbuyer.com

For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: query@reportbuyer.com Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: http://www.reportbuyer.com

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GETTY

Nanobots, which are theoretical tiny robots a single nanometre wide one billionth of a metre are currently being worked on and in the future may dominate the planet if they get out of control.

They can be used for several purposes but boffins hope to use them mainly for in-body procedures, such as replacing cells in the body for fighting things such as cancer.

Such would be the technology that the nanobots would be able to act as if they are cells and self-replicate, most likely through protein folding, where they can split and create another version of themselves.

Louis A Del Monte, physicist and author of the book Nanoweapons, wrote in an article for the Huffington Post: You can think of them as the technological equivalent of bacteria and viruses.

GETTY

The minuscule bots are expected to arrive in the 2050s, according to Dr Del Monte, following the rise of artificial intelligence, which will help to create the revolutionary bots.

While experts are developing nanobots for the good, there are fear this could quickly get out of control.

Eric Drexler, an engineer who is considered one of the pioneers of nanotechnology, warned in his book Engines of Creation way back in 1986: Imagine such a replicator floating in a bottle of chemicals, making copies of itselfthe first replicator assembles a copy in one thousand seconds, the two replicators then build two more in the next thousand seconds, the four build another four, and the eight build another eight.

GETTY

At the end of 10 hours, there are not thirty-six new replicators, but over 68 billion.

In less than a day, they would weigh a ton; in less than two days, they would outweigh the Earth; in another four hours, they would exceed the mass of the Sun and all the planets combinedif the bottle of chemicals hadn't run dry long before.

He goes on to warn that they could begin destroying and replacing all biological life on Earth leading to the end of humanity in what is known as The Grey Goo Scenario.

GETTY

Mr Drexler: Early assembler-based replicators could beat the most advanced modern organisms. 'Plants' with 'leaves' no more efficient than today's solar cells could out-compete real plants, crowding the biosphere with an inedible foliage.

Tough, omnivorous 'bacteria' could out-compete real bacteria: they could spread like blowing pollen, replicate swiftly, and reduce the biosphere to dust in a matter of days.

Dangerous replicators could easily be too tough, small, and rapidly spreading to stopat least if we made no preparation.

We have trouble enough controlling viruses and fruit flies.

Chris Phoenix, Director of Research of the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology (CRN) however says that there are other things to worry about with nanotechnology.

Asus

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Asus Zenbo: This adorable little bot can move around and assist you at home, express emotions, and learn and adapt to your preferences with proactive artificial intelligence.

He wrote in a paper titled Safe Exponential Manufacturing along with Mr Drexler, who has tried to distance himself from the grey goo scenario a term he coined: Runaway replication would only be the product of a deliberate and difficult engineering process, not an accident.

Far more serious, however, is the possibility that a large-scale and convenient manufacturing capacity could be used to make powerful non-replicating weapons in unprecedented quantity, leading to an arms race or war.

Policy investigation into the effects of molecular nanotechnology should consider deliberate abuse as a primary concern, and runaway replication as a more distant issue.

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Self-replicating Nanobots could DESTROY all life on Earth, warn experts - Express.co.uk

Alberta men diagnosed with prostate cancer could soon have a better blood test to help determine if they can bypass a painful and invasive biopsy.

The Alberta Prostate Cancer Research initiative claims its new blood test is 40 per cent more accurate at identifying men with aggressive forms of prostate cancer than the common prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, which researchers say often leads to unneeded biopsies.

We know what we will really want in patients is to detect which patients are going to have metastatic cancer down the road because we need to cure them now, said Dr. John Lewis, a University of Alberta oncology researcher who helped develop the new test.

What were hoping is that if this test says they have aggressive cancer, they go ahead and get a biopsy to confirm. If it says they dont have aggressive cancer, they can potentially skip the biopsy altogether.

Lewis expects the new test to cost several hundred dollars. Compared with a biopsy that costs almost $2,000 and involves pressing 12 needles through the prostate, Lewis believes the blood test has the potential to provide significant savings to the health-care system and prevent side-effects from operations on men unlikely to develop aggressive cancer.

A patient who gets the new test, called the Extracellular Vesicle Fingerprint Predictive Score test, will have it done alongside the traditional PSA test.

The research team has been working for five years, studying the spread of prostate cancer. The new test takes advantage of advances in nanotechnology and machine learning to test for tiny fragments of prostate cancer in the bloodstream and recognize aggressive forms of cancer. The blood test was studied on 377 Alberta men who were suspected to have prostate cancer.

Lewis said there are plans to do more research, but hes confident this is the test theyll be taking to market. It will be sold though a university spin-off company called Nanostics Inc., founded by Lewis and three of his colleagues.

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U of A uses nanotechnology to develop new test for aggressive prostate cancer - National Post

Nanotechnology can make biopesticides more effective

This means farmers would be required to use very small quantities of biopesticide in its nano form

The use of eco-friendly biocontrol agents as an alternative to chemical pesticides is prevalent in some farming communities. A group of scientists have now shown that it is possible to substantially enhance efficacy of such biocontrol agents by converting them into nanoparticles.

Researchers at the University of Agricultural Sciences at Raichur in Karnataka have developed a new technique to do so. They have converted secretion of a bacterium, Photorhabdus luminescens, into nanoparticles and found that its efficacy improved significantly. The bacterium is used as a biocontrol agent against a wide range of crop pests like mite, aphid, and mealy bug. The nano form of biocontrol agent has been tested against two sucking pests of cotton -- Tetranychus macfarlanei, a species of mite and Aphis gossypii, a species of aphid.

Reporting their findings in a recent issue of scientific journal Current Science, the researchers noted, high mortality coupled with quick action emphasises the potential of nanotechnology in enhancing the pathogenicity of a microbial pesticide. It was found that very low concentration of nano-particulated secretion could kill pests as against unprocessed secretion. This means farmers would be required to use very small quantities of biopesticide in its nano form.

Cellular secretions of the bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens have been used as pesticide against a wide range of insects. The bacterium lives within the body of a nematode called Heterorhabditis in a symbiotic relationship with the nematode. It secretes an array of toxins and enzymes. The secretions have a wide range of insecticidal actions against both sucking and chewing anthropod pests of agricultural crops. Farmers spray solutions of the bacteria on crops but it is not as efficacious as synthetic chemicals.

Scientists converted bacterial secretions into nanoparticles using a multi-stage process involving culturing, centrifuge, ultrasonic assisted atomizing and hot air-assisted vacuum process. The resultant product is dry powder.

We have proved that it is possible to substantially enhance the efficacy of biopesticides. We need to conduct more studies to figure out what is the best form in which it could be delivered to the users: whether it should be as a powder or a solution or in some other form, said A. Prabhuraj, one of the scientists involved in the study.

The research team included Ramesh A.Kulkarni, J.Ashoka and S.G.Hanchinal of the Department of Agricultural Entomology and Sharanagouda Hiregoudar of the Department of Processing and Food Technology at the Raichur University. (India Science Wire)

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Nanotechnology can make biopesticides more effective - Down To Earth Magazine (press release) (registration) (blog)

Updated July 05, 2017 11:57:18

Imagine a window that could instantly turn into mirror the possibility is real, thanks to a breakthrough in nanotechnology by researchers at the Australian National University (ANU).

They have developed a material that promises to protect astronauts from harmful radiation, as well as practical uses closer to home.

ANU researchers have dubbed their invention a "smart mirror", and all that is needed for it to change is an adjustment to its temperature.

"Our smart mirror consists of lots of dielectric nanoparticles which are carefully designed and arranged within a single layer," ANU lead researcher Dr Mohsen Rahmani said.

The layer of nanoparticles are spread so thin that they are just 0.00005 of a millimetre apart.

"Today's technology, all optical silicates consist of the elements that work statically," Dr Rahmani said.

"Which means they either transmit the light or reflect the light, or something in between."

Until now, optical silicates have only achieved one function.

But with a switch in heat, this new one promises to transform to either absorb, reflect or emit light and radiation.

"By our technology, for the first time you can have a single element which can have all those functions at the same time, and you can control the light passing through or reflects," Dr Rahmani said.

Dr Rahmani said the film was thin enough to coat a pin head hundreds of times, and could be applied to any surface like a spacesuit.

"By adjusting the temperature of that thin layer, we are able to control the optical properties of those nanoparticles," he said.

"So that the entire surface can either transmit or reflect the incoming light on demand."

One of the major problems involved with prolonged space travel is exposure to cosmic radiation.

Currently thick filter panels are needed to protect both space craft and astronauts.

"As we know, the temperature in space varies a lot," Dr Rahmani said.

"Just imagine we can have a smart mirror which can reflect different frequencies at different temperature.

"It can give a great platform to protect the devices or astronauts in different environments in the space."

Sending people into space has seen the creation of a number of innovations and inventions now used in daily life memory foam, quick-dry anti-rust paint, water filters, and some bulletproof fabrics all came from the space race.

And just like those innovations initially designed for space travel, this one also has useful applications on Earth.

Just like a car's back window has wires running through it to defog it with a change in heat, a similar system has been proposed to control the temperature in the new film, switching clear glass to a mirror or an illuminated panel.

"The principle is quite extendable to other frequencies as well," co-researcher and associate professor Andrey Miroshnichenko said.

"Including visible, which opens [a] whole range of new types of application, including architectural ones.

"Where for example, your window becomes a mirror."

With mirrors switching to light panels, the ANU team said the technology also promises to save energy.

Topics: science-and-technology, nanotechnology, research, australia, australian-national-university-0200

First posted July 05, 2017 11:42:49

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Nanotechnology to protect astronauts from harmful radiation, and ... - ABC Online

The infinitely small nanotech world helps science take great leaps forward, from therapeutic nanosystems treating the body to space elevators.

In recent years, advances in nanosciences have been so numerous and varied that they affect the progression of many different scientific fields.

Whether in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine or space, nanotechnologies help many scientific disciplines to overcome limitations. Harnessing the power of the very small enables the development of novel solutions and the revisiting of old concepts that until now remained inaccessible.

Here are two potential futuristic concepts, for space and medical applications, that were discussed by a panel of researchers and scientists at Future Con, held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Centerin Washington D.C. from June 16th to the 18th.

For over a century, space elevators have been heralded as a potential revolutionary space transportation system. In 1895, Constantin Tsiolkovsky, a Russian scientist proposed a celestial castle that would float in Earths geosynchronous orbit (GEO), attached to a high tower on the ground via cables.

Naturally, speculative writers have used variations of space elevators as plot devices. In his 1979 novel The Fountains of Paradise, Arthur C. Clarke describes the construction of the first space elevator in the 22nd century.

Imagine an elevator that goes a couple hundred miles up with nothing but wires to lift it from a ground station to one floating in space. The project sounds unfathomable, but thanks to nanotechnology, it is now scientifically viable.

Lourdes Salamanca-Riba, Professor at A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland thinks that if cables were to be made from steel, the system would collapse under its own weight. Salamanca-Riba, who spoke at Future Con, proposed instead carbon nanotubes.

One-atom-thick carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are ultralight but extremely resistant and strong, which makes them perfect to make cables that carry the space elevator to a space base, 10,000 miles up.

With the longest synthesized CNT ever is 50 centimeters long, theres a long way to go until carbon nanotubes that can reach beyond Earths atmosphere are scalable.

Another panelist at the Future Con was Jordan Green, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Maryland, who made the observation that, in order to replicate, some viruses integrate their genes into the genome of a cell.

Green then discussed special nanosystems as a means to send genetic information to infected cells to cure them.

For some cancers and hemophilia, such systems could be used to genetically modify infected cell. By restoring and/or repairing genetic inadequacies or errors, affected cells can heal and regain their normal function withoutbeing destroyed.

For cancer, targeted gene therapycould encourage cancerous cells to halt malignant spread and even self-destruct.

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Using Nanotechnology for Space Elevators, Direct Cell Delivery - Edgy Labs (blog)

Home > Nanotechnology Columns > Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. > CEINT Seeks Comments on Proposed ISA-TAB-Nano Templates

Abstract: The Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology (CEINT) seeks comments on the NANoREG-proposed ISA-TAB-nano templates.

July 3rd, 2017

The Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology (CEINT) seeks comments on the NANoREG-proposed ISA-TAB-nano templates. See http://ceint.duke.edu/research/nikc/isa-tab-nano According to CEINT, the ISA-TAB-nano file sharing format, developed under the National Cancer Informatics Program Nanotechnology Working Group (NCIP NanoWG), is an accepted ASTM standard (ASTM International E2909-13). In 2016, the European Union NANoREG project adopted and adapted the ISA-TAB-nano format to organize consistently the results of their network of researchers. According to CEINT, to create the templates, NANoREG followed the logic of the original ISA-TAB-nano formatting, but drew upon relevant existing ontologies and extended it to incorporate additional endpoints and methods not addressed in the original standard. CEINT is working with researchers at Oregon State University and the NCIP NanoWG to update and extend the ISA-TAB-nano templates. CEINT seeks comments on the following proposed templates:

- Physical-chemical characterizations comment forms; - In vivo mammalian toxicity comment forms; - In vitro mammalian toxicity comment forms; and - General feedback regarding expanded (nonstandard) ISA-TAB-nano templates.

Comments are due August 1, 2017.

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CEINT Seeks Comments on Proposed ISA-TAB-Nano Templates - Nanotechnology News

Written by AZoMJun 27 2017

Shutterstock | Volodymyr Plysiuk

The production and consumption of consumer goods is constantly increasing in todays society. Goods are made and sold cheaply, break, or become obsolete quickly and are substituted in a cycle that produces huge quantities of waste.

The consumer cycle reduces the worlds natural resources and results in the production of huge quantities of waste to be disposed of frequently, at high cost to the environment.

Textile goods, such as shoes and clothes, are mostly problematic for the environment. Shoes and clothes can be manufactured and sold very cheaply; they are washed regularly and then unavoidably thrown away when they start to appear old.

Laundering clothes frequently adds to the already existing environmental concerns; excessive water and energy usage, pollution by detergents and the discharge of microscopic plastic fibers from synthetic fabrics all present a threat to the environment. One way of fighting the pollution and waste linked with the textile industry is by manufacturing goods that are easy to clean without detergents, durable and maintain their new appearance.1,2,3

In the recent years, there has been an increase in nanotechnology research, and nanotechnology has been incorporated into many applications in everyday life. The Nanotechnologists at Nanex have currently drawn inspiration from nature to create a new coating for textiles and leather that repels dirt and water, allowing the manufacture of shoes and clothes that are water-resistant, self-cleaning and durable. Self-cleaning clothes could positively influence the environment by minimizing energy consumption, water consumption and pollution from detergent and plastics fibers.4

The coating created by Nanex draws its inspiration from the properties of the lotus plant.4 Lotus plants grow in muddy, semi-aquatic environments, but have an inherent ability to remain dirt-free as their leaves are water-repellent and have self-cleaning surfaces.

When a water droplet falls on the surface of a lotus leaf, it beads up into a nearly perfect sphere and easily rolls off the leaf. As the water rolls off the leaf, it picks up and carries away any dirt or dust, resulting in a self-cleaning surface.5,6

To establish how water-repellent a surface is, Researchers study the shape that a water droplet makes on the surface, and the angle formed by the surface of the liquid and the contact surface, referred to as the contact angle.

The larger the contact angle, the lesser the liquid will spread on the surface, and the more water-repellent the surface is. A high contact angle with water (>90) is linked with a hydrophobic, water-repellent surface. Surfaces with a contact angle with water of more than 150 are called superhydrophobic surfaces. Both the lotus leaf surface and the surfaces covered in Nanex coating are superhydrophobic.7,8

The lotus leafs superhydrophobicity is due to the chemistry and the hierarchical topography of the leafs surface. When water falls on the leaf's surface, the rough texture of the surface provided by microscale bumps results in trapped air and decreased contact between the surface and the water. Therefore, the attractive forces between the water molecules are more than the attractive forces between the surface and the water molecules, causing a water droplet to form.

Nanoscale hairs on the microscale bumps of the lotus leaf further decrease the contact between the surface and the water molecules, causing superhydrophobicity. Nanex coatings make use of nanostructures in a similar way to the lotus leaf, leading to the creation of water-repellent, self-cleaning textile surfaces.4-6

Shutterstock | aeiddam0853578919

Nanex coatings work in a similar manner to the lotus leaf. The coating covers every fiber of the original fabric and forms nanostructures on the surface of the fabric. When water falls on the surface, air is trapped by the nanostructures, and as the attractive forces between the water molecules are more than the attractive forces between the surface and the water, a droplet forms that slides off the surface, taking with it any dirt that is present.

Nanex coatings, thus, render the fabric water-repellent and protect against stains, while preserving the look, feel and breathability of the original fabric. Nanex coatings have already found many applications and can be applied using an aerosol to any natural fiber (see video). Jasna Rok and Elegnano have partnered with Nanex to create water and stain resistant shoes and clothing using Nanex coatings.9,10

In summary, consumerism results in many environmental problems including the depletion of energy, natural resources and water. Shoes and clothes that are washed regularly add to further detrimental effects on the environment due to pollution caused by plastics fibers and detergents.

Nature has inspired some Nanotechnologists to develop coatings that render leather and textiles water-resistant and self-cleaning, decreasing their environmental impact. Research at Nanex is currently focused on creating anti-odor sprays that eliminate odor particles, further minimizing the need to wash clothes.

References

This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Nanex.

For more information on this source, please visit Nanex.

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Combining Nanotechnology with Nature to Create Waterproof Coatings for Leather and Textiles - AZoM

A researcher at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine has been granted two awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop nanotechnology drug delivery systems for patients with breast cancer and those at risk of serious blood clots.

The R01 awards will be provided by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to Nicole F Steinmetz, PhD, George J. Picha professor in biomaterials, member of the Case Comprehensive cancer Center and director of the Center for Bio-Nanotechnology at CWRU School of Medicine.

Nanoparticle engineering is an evolving field, with enormous potential in molecular imaging and therapeutics, stated Steinmetz. We are thrilled that the NIH is supportive of this new frontier in medicine.

From NCI, Steinmetz will receive a $2.2 million grant for the development of therapeutic nanotechnology specifically aimed at triple negative breast cancer patients. As triple negative breast cancer cells do not have surface receptors (commonly used by drug developers for therapeutic delivery) treatment options for about 15% of patients is limited.

Last year, Steinmetz and colleagues found virus-like particles from a plant virus (cowpea mosaic virus) that can stimulate the immune system to fight tumours and prevent outgrowth of metastasis. With the funding, Steinmetz and colleagues will explore the mechanisms behind the anti-tumour effects and develop dual-pronged therapeutic approaches through drug delivery strategies.

These plant virus-like particles have cancer fighting qualities on their own, but they can also be used as vehicles to encapsulate therapeutics, such as chemo- and immune drugs to synergise and potentiate the cancer immunotherapy, Steinmetz added. With the new grant, we will test whether combining the particles with breast cancer medications can combat breast cancer in mice.

Separately, the NHLBI will award $2.6 million for the development of nanotechnology to identify deep vein thromboses before they become fatal. We are developing a biology-derived plant virus nanotechnology, here using the tobacco mosaic virus, for molecular imaging and drug delivery, Steinmetz continued. The non-invasive MRI approach will allow us to gain molecular information about the thrombus, therefore, aiding prognosis. By integrating imaging and therapeutic capabilities, our approach will help diagnose patients, treat the disease and monitor disease progression over time.

The grants will be awarded this summer and will last for five years. If the projects are successful, they will be eligible for renewal.

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Researcher awarded millions to develop nanotechnology drug delivery systems - EPM Magazine

Aaron Lavinsky, Star Tribune Laura Brod, CEO, RoverMed BioSciences, oversees development of cutting-edge nanotechnology that promises to deliver drugs on a cellular level to fight cancer. A former state legislator and University of Minnesota regent, she uses her leadership and networking skills in the new venture.

Laura Brod has trod an unusual path into biotech, so perhaps its not surprising that the company she leads is charting an unorthodox route for its ultrasmall precision-medicine technology. Several years ago Brod nearly entered the race for governor following a stint in the Legislature, but she changed course, serving as a regent for the University of Minnesota and becoming CEO of a Minnetonka company called GeneSegues Therapeutics, which was developing medical nanotechnology for cancer. Today Brod is also CEO of a spinoff company based in St. Cloud called RoverMed BioSciences, which is working to apply GeneSegues technology to a broader array of diseases.

Q: Tell me about your companys technology.

A: RoverMed has developed a nanotechnology that aims to deliver the next generation of drugs. There are a number of therapeutics being developed by pharmaceutical companies that will never actually impact humans unless they have a precision-targeted delivery technology that is able to bring them directly to the disease cell. And that is what RoverMed does.

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Sunday conversation with Laura Brod, CEO or RoverMed BioSciences - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Dive Brief:

Nanotechnology in the food industry is expected to nearly triple in value to $20.4 billion by 2020, with several emerging areas for innovation, reports New Food Magazine.

Engineered nanotech compounds could offer great benefits in ingredients particularly for increased solubility and bioavailabilityas well as in food packaging with antimicrobial surfaces and sensors that change color when food begins to degrade.

In the food sector, there has been a 40% increase in publications and a 90% increase in patent filings involving nanotechnology in the past two decades. More than 1,000 companies now have an R&D focus on nanotechnology-based products. Future applications could include immobilizing enzymes to improve their efficiency and reuse, and using nanoscale structures to create new food textures.

Nanotechnology refers to controlling compounds on a molecular scale measured in nanometers, or millionths of meters. In the food industry, the technology has excited manufacturers as its potential uses have been explored, such as producing stronger flavors or colors, improving the bioavailability of nutrients, and detecting bacteria in packaging.

However, early enthusiasm from researchers and product developers was met with pushback from consumers who were concerned about the technologys safety. Since then, the FDA has released guidelines on using nanotechnology in food, but the industry has been wary about how it communicates nanotech-based innovation with consumers.

Nanoscale compounds in food are not new. They exist naturally in milk,with nanoscale casein particles responsible for its fat stability. Meanwhile,more than 1,600 consumer products contain engineered nanoscale particles, according to an inventory run by The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. They are already widely used in the food packaging sector to help ensure food quality and safety. Nanotech-based sensors can detect and measure the presence of oxygen or bacteria, such as listeria.

In the ingredient sector, nanotechnology is still more widely used in supplements. However,nanoencapsulation could be used to protect sensitive compounds like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and polyunsaturated fatty acids so they could be delivered only when they reach the gut. That would improve how they are absorbed by the body, and reduce their impact on a products taste and appearance.

Communicating the benefits of nanotechnology in food is still one of the industrys biggest challenges, and some say it is slowing development in the sector. However, with diverse applications covering everything from improved food safety to better nutrition, reduced food waste, and biodegradable packaging, it is inevitable that consumers will start to see more nanoscale compounds in consumer products in the coming years.

Originally posted here:

What is the future of nanotechnology in food? - Food Dive