The Extreme X-Ray Universe: Discovery Science with NASA’s NuSTAR Mission – Video

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The Extreme X-Ray Universe: Discovery Science with NASA #39;s NuSTAR Mission
Visit: http://www.uctv.tv/) NASA #39;s NuSTAR spacecraft, launched in June of 2012, uses technology developed in part by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ...

By: University of California Television (UCTV)

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The Extreme X-Ray Universe: Discovery Science with NASA's NuSTAR Mission - Video

NASA addresses the helmet leaking issue during Expedition 38 EVA briefing conference. – Video

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NASA addresses the helmet leaking issue during Expedition 38 EVA briefing conference.
NASA scheduled a series of EVAs starting next Saturday, to fix the problematic cooling system of the ISS, but they have to deal with ANOTHER issue concerning...

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NASA addresses the helmet leaking issue during Expedition 38 EVA briefing conference. - Video

NASA Engineers Crush Fuel Tank to Build Better Rockets

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NASA completed a series of high-tech can-crushing tests last week as an enormous fuel tank crumbled under the pressure of almost a million pounds of force, all in the name of building lighter, more affordable rockets.

During the testing for the Shell Buckling Knockdown Factor Project, which began Dec. 9 at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., force and pressure were increasingly applied to the top of an empty but pressurized rocket fuel tank to evaluate its structural integrity. The resulting data will help engineers design, build and test the gigantic fuel tanks for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket NASA is developing for deep space missions.

"These full-scale tests along with our computer models and subscale tests will help NASA and industry design lighter, more affordable launch vehicles," said Mark Hilburger, senior research engineer in the Structural Mechanics and Concepts Branch at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. Hilburger is conducting the tests for the NASA Engineering and Safety Center. "We were looking at real-time data from 20 cameras and more than 800 sensors during the final test."

The aluminum-lithium tank was made from unused space shuttle tank hardware and decked out in 70,000 black and white polka dots that helped high-speed cameras focus on any buckles, rips or strains.

"When it buckled it was quite dramatic," Hilburger said. "We heard the bang, almost like the sound of thunder and could see the large buckles in the test article."

Engineers are updating design guidelines that have the potential to reduce launch vehicle weight by 20 percent. Lighter rockets can carry more equipment into space or travel farther away from Earth for exploration missions to asteroids, Mars or other distant locations.

"In addition to providing data for the Space Launch System design team, these tests are preparing us for upcoming full-scale tests," said Matt Cash, Marshall's lead test engineer for the shell buckling efforts and the SLS forward skirt and liquid oxygen tank structural testing. "Performing structural tests on hardware that is the same size as SLS hardware is providing tremendous benefit for our future development work for the rocket."

The testing was conducted at Marshall's load test annex, part of the Structural and Dynamics Engineering Test Laboratory previously used to test large structures for the Saturn V rocket, space shuttle and International Space Station.

NASA's Space Launch System will provide an entirely new capability for human exploration beyond Earth orbit. Designed to be flexible for crew or cargo missions, the SLS will be safe, affordable and sustainable to continue America's journey of discovery from the unique vantage point of space. SLS will carry the Orion spacecraft's crew to deep space destinations including an asteroid and eventually Mars.

For images and video of the big crush and to learn more about the shell buckling project, visit:

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NASA Engineers Crush Fuel Tank to Build Better Rockets

NASA spacecraft returns first images after reactivation

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Washington, Dec 20 : NASA's Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE), a spacecraft that made the most comprehensive survey to date of asteroids and comets, has returned its first set of test images in preparation for a renewed mission.

NEOWISE discovered more than 34,000 asteroids and characterized 158,000 throughout the solar system during its prime mission in 2010 and early 2011.

It was reactivated in September following 31 months in hibernation to assist NASA's efforts to identify the population of potentially hazardous near-Earth objects (NEOs).

NEOWISE also can assist in characterizing previously detected asteroids that could be considered potential targets for future exploration missions.

"NEOWISE not only gives us a better understanding of the asteroids and comets we study directly, but it will help us refine our concepts and mission operation plans for future, space-based near-Earth object cataloging missions," said Amy Mainzer, principal investigator for NEOWISE at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif.

"The spacecraft is in excellent health, and the new images look just as good as they were before hibernation. Over the next weeks and months we will be gearing up our ground-based data processing and expect to get back into the asteroid hunting business, and acquire our first previously undiscovered space rock, in the next few months."

Some of the deep space images taken by the spacecraft include a previously detected asteroid named (872) Holda.

With a diameter of 26 miles (42 kilometers), this asteroid orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter in a region astronomers call the asteroid belt. The images tell researchers the quality of the spacecraft's observations is the same as during its primary mission.

The spacecraft uses a 16-inch (40-centimeter) telescope and infrared cameras to seek out and discover unknown NEOs and characterize their size, albedo or reflectivity, and thermal properties.

Asteroids reflect, but do not emit visible light, so data collected with optical telescopes using visible light can be deceiving.

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NASA spacecraft returns first images after reactivation

NASA’s quick fix for risky water leak

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Snorkels in space? NASA dreamed up the idea as a quick fix to a dangerous spacesuit problem so astronauts can step out to repair an equipment breakdown at the International Space Station.

One of the two US astronauts preparing to embark on a series of spacewalks later this week and next will be wearing an American-made suit that had a helmet leak in July, nearly drowning the European astronaut who wore it.

The three emergency spacewalks are planned for December 21, 23 and 25 in order to fix a broken cooling system at the orbiting outpost.

An investigation into the cause of the leak that flooded Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano's helmet and forced him to rush back inside the station in July is still ongoing, NASA officials told reporters Wednesday.

Therefore, faced with an unexpected valve failure last week in the system that regulates the temperature of equipment aboard the 15-year-old orbiting outpost, NASA engineers had to scramble to figure out a way to make the US spacesuits safe for use.

First off, they have replaced the water pump system in the suit Parmitano wore.

In addition, an extra helmet absorption pad has been installed at the inside back of the helmet to soak up any potential leak, and a snorkel has been rigged up to offer another breathing route if needed.

'Some smart engineers on the ground were able to figure out, 'Hey this is a similar diameter to a snorkel that you have for scuba diving',' said NASA lead spacewalk officer Allison Bolinger.

'By just sacrificing one of our spares on board they were able to come up with a way to just snip off the ends and then file it so it is not rough in the crew member's mouth and then apply Velcro.'

American astronaut Mike Hopkins will be wearing the suit Parmitano wore. Both he and fellow US astronaut Rick Mastracchio will have the new snorkels and pads inside their spacesuits as a safety measure.

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NASA's quick fix for risky water leak

NASA orders urgent spacewalk to repair space station

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International Space Station

Marcia Dunn The Associated Press

Dec. 17, 2013 at 5:10 PM ET

AP / NASA

The International Space Station is shown with the backdrop of Earth in this image taken by an STS-132 crew member on space shuttle Atlantis after the station and shuttle began their post-undocking relative separation on May 23, 2010. The astronauts aboard the International Space Station dimmed the lights, turned off unnecessary equipment and put off science work on Dec. 12 as NASA scrambled to figure out what's wrong with one of two identical cooling loops that shut down Wednesday.

NASA has ordered up a series of urgent spacewalks to fix a broken cooling line at the International Space Station, a massive repair job that could stretch to Christmas Day.

Station managers decided Tuesday to send two American astronauts out as soon as possible to replace a pump with a bad valve. The task will require two and possibly three spacewalks on Saturday, Monday and next Wednesday Christmas Day.

"The next week will be busy with spacewalks so not much tweeting from here," NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio said from space via Twitter soon after the decision was announced.

The spacewalks are taking priority over the launch of a supply ship from Virginia. The commercial delivery had been scheduled for this week, but is now delayed until at least mid-January.

U.S.-led spacewalks have been on hold since July, when an Italian astronaut almost drowned because of water that leaked into his helmet.

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NASA orders urgent spacewalk to repair space station

NASA Extends Deadlines for Student Exploration Design Challenge

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NASA is extending deadlines for its Exploration Design Challenge, an educational program connected to Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) -- the first mission for NASA's new Orion spacecraft, scheduled to launch in September 2014 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The new deadline for high school students to submit payload design notebooks has been extended to Feb. 28. The deadline for all students to complete a radiation learning module and fly their names on EFT-1 now is June 30.

The challenge invites students from kindergarten through 12th grade to research and design proposed solutions to help protect astronauts from space radiation during Orion's long-duration deep space missions to an asteroid and Mars.

The Exploration Design Challenge was launched in March through a partnership between NASA and Lockheed Martin Corp., in collaboration with the National Institute of Aerospace. The challenge brings cutting-edge learning to educators and students using standards-based activities, as well as print and video resources and technical guidance to help them learn how to solve difficult problems associated with human space exploration.

Participating students in grades kindergarten through 8 will analyze different materials that simulate space radiation shielding for human space travelers aboard the Orion spacecraft. After participating in activities guided by their teachers, students will recommend materials that best block harmful radiation.

Participating students in grades 9-12 can take the challenge a step further by designing a shield to protect a sensor inside Orion from space radiation. Five high school team designs will be selected for program review in March 2014, and the final winning design will be announced by the end of the school year. The high school team with the winning payload design will be flown to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to watch their experiment launch into orbit aboard Orion.

NASA and Lockheed Martin are developing the Orion spacecraft to carry astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit and on to an asteroid or Mars. EFT-1 is Orion's first uncrewed mission in space, providing an opportunity to test the protective abilities of the students' payload design as the spacecraft travels through the intense radiation of the Van Allen Belt during its 3,600-mile journey above Earth.

To learn more about the Exploration Design Challenge and sign up to become a virtual crew member, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education/edc

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NASA Extends Deadlines for Student Exploration Design Challenge

NASA Holds Top Spot As Best Government Job In America

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December 19, 2013

[ Watch the Video: NASA Is The Best Government Job Ever: Employee Poll ]

Brett Smith for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

In addition to being able to literally reach for the stars every day, NASA employees also have the best job in the federal government for the second year running, according to the new Best Place to Work in Government report.

The report, produced by the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, was based on a survey of nearly 400,000 federal employees conducted from April through June when budget cuts were severely hitting several sectors of government.

NASAs selection as the Best Place to Work in Government for the second year in a row is a testament to the excellence of our workforce and their determination to maintain Americas leadership in space exploration, said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden in an official statement.

In a year of budget uncertainty and a government shutdown, NASA employees never missed a beat, Bolden said. In the tradition of the can do spirit that has enabled us for more than 50 years to turn science fiction into science fact, they have consistently rolled up their sleeves and worked hard at achieving our major goals which include leading the expansion of a domestic commercial space industry for low-Earth orbit transportation, and developing a heavy lift launch capability to take humans farther than they have ever explored to an asteroid in the next decade and to Mars by the 2030s.

I am honored and proud to lead such a dedicated team of employees, he added. They are what make NASA the Best Place to Work in Government.

In the survey, NASA employees reported the highest job satisfaction and commitment score a 74 out of 100. Employees from the Department of Commerce reported the second-highest score, nearly 68, and the Intelligence Community came in third at just over 67.

The report found that the overall morale of federal employees fell for the third straight year, to the lowest level since the first report was published in 2003.

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NASA Holds Top Spot As Best Government Job In America

Nanotechnology – Official Site

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The merits of nanostructures in sensing may seem obvious, yet playing these attributes to their maximum advantage can be a work of genius. As fast as sensing technology is improving, expectations are growing, with demands for cheaper devices with higher sensitivities and an ever increasing range of functionalities and compatibilities. At the same time tough scientific challenges like low power operation, noise and low selectivity are keeping researchers busy. This special issue on sensing at the nanoscale with guest editor Christofer Hierold from ETH Zurich features some of the latest developments in sensing research pushing at the limits of current capabilities.

Cheap and easy fabrication is a top priority. Among the most popular nanomaterials in sensing are ZnO nanowires and in this issue Dario Zappa and colleagues at Brescia University in Italy simplify an already cheap and efficient synthesis method, demonstrating ZnO nanowire fabrication directly onto silicon substrates[1]. Meanwhile Nicolae Barson and colleagues in Germany point out the advantages of flame spray pyrolysis fabrication in a topical review[2] and, maximizing on existing resources, researchers in Denmark and Taiwan report cantilever sensing using a US$20 commercial DVD-ROM optical pickup unit as the readout source[3]. The sensor is designed to detect physiological concentrations of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, a protein associated with inflammation due to HIV, cancer and other infectious diseases.

With their extreme properties carbon nanostructures feature prominently in the issue, including the demonstration of a versatile and flexible carbon nanotube strain sensor[4] and a graphene charge sensor with sensitivities of the order of 1.310 3eHz 1/2[5]. The issue of patterning for sensing devices is also tackled by researchers in the US who demonstrate a novel approach for multicomponent pattering metal/metal oxide nanoparticles on graphene[6].

Changes in electrical properties are an important indicator for sensing. In search of a better understanding of these systems Zhang etal from Southern Illinois University inspect the role of Joule heating, exothermal reactions and heat dissipation in gas sensing using nanowires[7]. The mechanisms behind electrical chemical sensors are also further scrutinized in a kinetics study by Joan Ramon Morante from the University of Barcelona in Spain. 'In spite of the growing commercial success many basic issues remain still open and under discussion limiting the broad use of this technology,' he explains. He discusses surface chemical reaction kinetics and the experimental results for different representative gas molecules to gain an insight into the chemical to electrical transduction mechanisms taking place[8].

Perhaps one of the most persistent targets in sensing research is increasing the sensitivity. Gauging environmental health issues around the commercial use of nanomaterials places high demands on low-level detection and spurred a collaboration of researchers in the UK, Croatia and Canada to look into the use of particle-impact voltammetry for detecting nanoparticles in environmental media[9]. At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the US, researchers have applied wave transform analysis techniques to the oscillations of an atomic force microscopy cantilever and tailored a timefrequency-domain filter to identify the region of highest vibrational energy[10]. The approach allows them to improve the signal to noise ratio by a factor 32 on current high-performance devices. In addition, researchers in Korea report how doping NiO nanofibres can improve the sensitivity to a number of gases, including ethanol, where the response was enhanced by as much as a factor of 217.86[11].

Biomedicine is one of the largest industries for the application of nanotechnology in sensing. Demonstrating the state of the art, researchers in China use silicon wafers decorated with gold nanoparticles for label-free detection of DNA at concentrations as low as 110fM, a sensitivity comparable to the best signal amplification-assisted electrochemical sensors reported[12]. In another study actin-conjugated gold and silver nanorods are used to detect ATP, a common indicator of cell viability[13]. They show how aggregation induced by ATP-induced polymerization of the G-actin gives rise to a measurable change in the plasmon resonance absorbance of the nanorods. A review of the use of fluorescent silica nanoparticles for biomedical applications is provided by researchers at Dublin City University in Ireland[14].

The first scanning tunnelling microscope in the early 1980s and subsequent scanning probe developments brought the world of nanoscale structures into view in a manner that gorged the imaginations of scientists and the public. New ways of probing structures at this scale revealed a wealth of curious properties that triggered a surge of research activity in nanotechnology, now a multibillion dollar industry. One good turn deserves another and in fact nanostructures provide the perfect tools for the type of sensing and imaging applications that brought such widespread research interest to nanotechnology. This special issue highlights just how broad and innovative the range of sensing nanotechnologies has grown.

References

[1] Zappa D, Comini E and Sberveglieri G 2013 Thermally-oxidized zinc oxide nanowires chemical sensors Nanotechnology 24 444008

[2] Kemmler J A, Pokhrel S, Mdler L, Weimar U and Barsan N 2013 Flame spray pyrolysis for sensing at the nanoscale Nanotechnology 24 442001

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Nanotechnology - Official Site

CDC – Nanotechnology – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic

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Overview

Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter on a near-atomic scale to produce new structures, materials and devices. This technology promises scientific advancement for many sectors such as medicine, consumer products, energy, materials and manufacturing. Nanotechnology is somewhat loosely defined, although in general terms it covers engineered structures, devices, and systems that have a length scale between 1 and 100 nanometers. At this size, materials begin to exhibit unique properties that affect physical, chemical, and biological behavior. Researching, developing, and utilizing these properties is at the heart of new technology.

As with any new technology, the earliest and most extensive exposure to hazards is most likely to occur in the workplace. Workers within nanotechnology-related industries have the potential to be exposed to uniquely engineered materials with novel sizes, shapes, and physical and chemical properties. Occupational health risks associated with manufacturing and using nanomaterials are not yet clearly understood. Minimal information is currently available on dominant exposure routes, potential exposure levels, and material toxicity of nanomaterials.

Studies have indicated that low solubility nanoparticles are more toxic than larger particles on a mass for mass basis. There are strong indications that particle surface area and surface chemistry are responsible for observed responses in cell cultures and animals. There are also indications that nanoparticles can penetrate through the skin or move from the respiratory system to other organs. Research is continuing to understand how these unique properties may lead to specific health effects.

NIOSH is the leading federal agency conducting research and providing guidance on the occupational safety and health implications and applications of nanotechnology. This research focuses NIOSH's scientific expertise, and its efforts, on answering the following central questions:

Research to answer these questions is critical for maintaining U.S. competitiveness in the growing and dynamic nanotechnology market.

NIOSH contributes to nanotechnology research in the following ways:

NIOSH has identified 10 critical topic areas to address knowledge gaps, develop strategies, and provide recommendations. Each topic provides a brief description of the research that NIOSH is conducting in that particular area of nanotechnology.

NIOSH has also created a field research team to assess workplace processes, materials, and control technologies associated with nanotechnology. Research laboratories, producers and manufacturers working with engineered nanomaterials have the opportunity to participate in a cost-free, on-site assessment.

Much research is still needed to understand the impact of nanotechnology on health, and to determine appropriate exposure monitoring and control strategies. At this time, the limited evidence available suggests caution when potential exposures to nanoparticles may occur.

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CDC - Nanotechnology - NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic

Nanowerk – Nanotechnology and Emerging Technologies …

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Following extensive research in the field of bionano-interfaces, it is now well understood that the primary interaction of biological species with nanoparticles is strongly dependent to the long-lived protein corona, i.e. a strongly adsorbed protein layer at the surface of nanoparticles. The amount, composition, and exposure site of the associated proteins in the long-lived protein corona can define the biological response...

Posted: Dec 18, 2013

In microbial fuell cells, the anode material as the medium of electron transfer and as the support for biofilm formation is a key component that determines the effectiveness and efficiency of power generation. Generally, the anode will perform better if the anode material has a greater specific surface area and higher affinity for living bacterial cells. The direct carbonization of low-cost and naturally available materials...

Posted: Dec 17, 2013

Researchers demonstrate a strategy for the fabrication of memristive nanodevices with stable and tunable performance by assembling ferritin monolayer inside a on-wire lithography-generated 12 nm gap. This work work uses the unique high iron loading capacity of Archaeoglobus fulgidus ferritin. The iron loading in the nanocages drastically impacts the performance of the memristive devices. The higher iron loading amount contributes...

Posted: Dec 16, 2013

Their unique combinations of liquid and solid-like properties allow liquid crystals to be used pervasively in the electro-optical display technology - known as liquid crystal display (LCD). In new work, researchers have observed that a dilute suspension of a small amount of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in a nematic liquid crystal (in the nematic LC phase the molecules are oriented in parallel but not arranged in well-defined...

Posted: Dec 13, 2013

The government of Thailand, realizing the importance of nanotechnology to economic growth, established the National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC) in 2003 as one of four national research centers under the National Science and Technology Development Agency. With an annual budget of US$11 million, NANOTEC is the key research funding agency for nanotechnology in Thailand. NANOTEC is investing in nanotechnology as a means of...

Posted: Dec 12, 2013

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Nanowerk - Nanotechnology and Emerging Technologies ...

HowStuffWorks "How Nanotechnology Works"

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There's an unprecedented multidisciplinary convergence of scientists dedicated to the study of a world so small, we can't see it -- even with a light microscope. That world is the field of nanotechnology, the realm of atoms and nanostructures. Nanotechnology is so new, no one is really sure what will come of it. Even so, predictions range from the ability to reproduce things like diamonds and food to the world being devoured by self-replicating nanorobots.

In order to understand the unusual world of nanotechnology, we need to get an idea of the units of measure involved. A centimeter is one-hundredth of a meter, a millimeter is one-thousandth of a meter, and a micrometer is one-millionth of a meter, but all of these are still huge compared to the nanoscale. A nanometer (nm) is one-billionth of a meter, smaller than the wavelength of visible light and a hundred-thousandth the width of a human hair [source: Berkeley Lab].

As small as a nanometer is, it's still large compared to the atomic scale. An atom has a diameter of about 0.1 nm. An atom's nucleus is much smaller -- about 0.00001 nm. Atoms are the building blocks for all matter in our universe. You and everything around you are made of atoms. Nature has perfected the science of manufacturing matter molecularly. For instance, our bodies are assembled in a specific manner from millions of living cells. Cells are nature's nanomachines. At the atomic scale, elements are at their most basic level. On the nanoscale, we can potentially put these atoms together to make almost anything.

In a lecture called "Small Wonders:The World of Nanoscience," Nobel Prize winner Dr. Horst Strmer said that the nanoscale is more interesting than the atomic scale because the nanoscale is the first point where we can assemble something -- it's not until we start putting atoms together that we can make anything useful.

In this article, we'll learn about what nanotechnology means today and what the future of nanotechnology may hold. We'll also look at the potential risks that come with working at the nanoscale.

In the next section, we'll learn more about our world on the nanoscale.

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HowStuffWorks "How Nanotechnology Works"

DNA Motor Arm-Walks Across Carbon Nanotube

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Our bodies contain billions of biological motors that carry out specific tasks to keep our cells functioning. The motors are called proteins and scientists have been looking for ways to mimic their capabilities.

Now researchers at Purdue University have found a way to use DNA as a kind of synthetic motor, capable of moving nanoparticles of cadmium disulfide along a carbon nanotube. It took the DNA-based motor 20 hours to travel the distance of 7 microns not exactly fast but the DNA can be programmed and controlled, turned on or off, whereas a natural protein cannot. The control could be useful for delivering drugs to specific areas in the body or it could be used for industrial purposes, for assembling molecules or processing chemicals.

Liquid Metal Marbles Bounce, Dont Splatter

The new motor is made from a core of enzymes and has two arms made from DNA. The arms pull the core forward, harvesting energy from other molecules called RNA sprinkled across the nanotube.

Our motors extract chemical energy from RNA molecules decorated on the nanotubes and use that energy to fuel autonomous walking along the carbon nanotube track, Jong Hyun Choi, a Purdue University assistant professor of mechanical engineering, said in a press release.

Choi and his colleagues think they can speed up the motor by changing the temperature and pH, a measure of acidity. THey published their results in this weeks Nature Nanotechnology.

via Futurity

Credit: Science Picture Co./Corbis

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DNA Motor Arm-Walks Across Carbon Nanotube

Survey reveals regulatory agencies viewed as unprepared for nanotechnology

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Dec. 19, 2013 Three stakeholder groups agree that regulators are not adequately prepared to manage the risks posed by nanotechnology, according to a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One. In a survey of nano-scientists and engineers, nano-environmental health and safety scientists, and regulators, researchers at the UCSB Center for Nanotechnology in Society (CNS) and at the University of British Columbia found that those who perceive the risks posed by nanotechnology as "novel" are more likely to believe that regulators are unprepared. Representatives of regulatory bodies themselves felt most strongly that this was the case. "The people responsible for regulation are the most skeptical about their ability to regulate," said CNS Director and co-author Barbara Herr Harthorn.

"The message is essentially," said first author Christian Beaudrie of the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia, "the more that risks are seen as new, the less trust survey respondents have in regulatory mechanisms. That is, regulators don't have the tools to do the job adequately."

The authors also believe that when respondents suggested that more stakeholder groups need to share the responsibility of preparing for the potential consequences of nanotechnologies, this indicated a greater "perceived magnitude or complexity of the risk management challenge." Therefore, they assert, not only do regulators feel unprepared, they need input from "a wide range of experts along the nanomaterial life cycle." These include laboratory scientists, businesses, health and environmental groups (NGOs), and government agencies.

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Survey reveals regulatory agencies viewed as unprepared for nanotechnology

UCLA researcher highlights advances in nanotechnology’s fight against cancer

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

18-Dec-2013

Contact: Brianna Deane bdeane@dentistry.ucla.edu 310-206-0835 University of California - Los Angeles

As cancer maintains its standing as the second leading cause of death in the U.S., researchers have continued their quest for safer and more effective treatments. Among the most promising advances has been the rise of nanomedicine, the application of tiny materials and devices whose sizes are measured in the billionths of a meter to detect, diagnose and treat disease.

A new research review co-authored by a UCLA professor provides one of the most comprehensive assessments to date of research on nanomedicine-based approaches to treating cancer and offers insight into how researchers can best position nanomedicine-based cancer treatments for FDA approval.

The article, by Dean Ho, professor of oral biology and medicine at the UCLA School of Dentistry, and Edward Chow, assistant professor at the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore and the National University of Singapore, was published online by the peer-reviewed journal Science Translational Medicine. Ho and Chow describe the paths that nanotechnology-enabled therapies could take and the regulatory and funding obstacles they could encounter as they progress through safety and efficacy studies.

"Manufacturing, safety and toxicity studies that will be accepted by the Food and Drug Administration before clinical studies are just some of the considerations that continue to be addressed by the nanomedicine field," said Chow, the paper's co-corresponding author.

Compared with other available therapies, nanomedicine has proven to be especially promising in fighting cancer. In preclinical trials, nanomaterials have produced safer and more effective imaging and drug delivery, and they have enabled researchers to precisely target tumors while sparing patients' healthy tissue. In addition, nanotechnology has significantly improved the sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging, making hard-to-find cancers easier to detect.

"A broad spectrum of innovative vehicles is being developed by the cancer nanomedicine community for targeted drug delivery and imaging systems," said Dr. Ho, the paper's corresponding author and co-director of the Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology at the UCLA School of Dentistry. "It is important to address regulatory issues, overcome manufacturing challenges and outline a strategy for implementing nanomedicine therapies both individually and in combination to help achieve widespread acceptance for the clinical use of cancer nanomedicine."

Ho's team previously pioneered the development of a nanodiamond-doxorubicin compound named NDX. In preclinical studies conducted with Chow, NDX was found to be safer and more effective than unmodified doxorubicin, a clinical standard, for treating breast, liver and other cancer models.

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UCLA researcher highlights advances in nanotechnology's fight against cancer