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Vladimir Murashov
Larry A. Nagahara, Ph.D. Title: Future Directions in Biomedical Research: Nanotechnology Based Approaches to Diagnostics and Therapeutics Abstract: Cancer is often considered a model system for major diseases as it is one of the main public health problems facing the world today. The statistics for cancer in the United States alone are daunting with the number of Americans who will die of cancer in 2009 being projected to be over 550,000 (over 7.5 million/year worldwide). With regards to cancer diagnostic and prognostic indicators, clinicians currently depend on the morphological and histological characteristics of a tumor or by some other biomarkers, such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA). More than four years ago, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) began the process of developing and funding the NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in an attempt to bring the power of nanotechnology to bear on developing new solutions to the major problems in cancer. The NCI allocated over 145 millions in funding over a five year period (2005-2010) to establish the Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer. This initiative is positioned to provide improved methods for early stage diagnostics and imaging, more effectively delivering therapeutics in a targeted manner to tumors, and better monitor therapeutic efficacy. In this presentation, some of the recent scientific accomplishments in the program and challenges facing cancer nanotechnology will be discussed.
Andre Nel, M.B.,Ch.B., M.D. Title: Nanotoxicology as a Predictive Science Abstract: Because of the large number of new nanomaterials that are being produced, it is of increasing importance to develop a platform for safety and risk assessment. One of the principal stumbling blocks in assessing chemical toxicity has been the cost and time required performing animal and in vivo studies. A more enlightened approach for nanotechnology would be to develop predictive screening methods that incorporate major toxicological pathways and injury mechanisms that can be related to the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials. I will discuss the emerging paradigms of toxicity that can be linked to the physicochemical properties of engineered nanoparticles with a view to outlining injury mechanisms that originate at the nano/bio interface and can help to identify potentially biocompatible or injurious interactions. The major toxicological paradigm that have emerged from nanoparticle toxicity to date relates to the semiconductor, electronic, UV activation, and redox cycling chemistry of the particles, which allows them to induce tissue damage through the generation of oxygen radicals, electron-hole pairs and oxidant injury. It is possible to follow the oxygen radical generation and oxidant stress injury by cellular responses that reflect protective, pro-inflammatory, mitochondrial damaging and pro-apoptotic outcomes. This pathway has been shown to be predictive adaptive of pro-inflammatory diseases in the lung and cardiovascular system during air pollution exposure. We will use this paradigm as well other emerging injury mechanisms to show how predictive high throughput screening models can be built to prioritize the testing of nanomatrials in terrestial, aquatic and marine lifeforms in the NSF and EPA-funded Center for the Environmental Imapct od Nanotechnology.
Jane Nielson Title: Active Sites on Supported Nanoparticles for Energy Related Issues Abstract: The use of sustainable energy resources such as the sun and the wind requires a way of storing energy since the temporal variations are not applicable to our present energy consumption habits. Hydrogen may be a solution as an energy carrier, which could be produced when the energy is available, and consumed at a later stage when needed. Today, platinum is the best known catalyst in the PEM fuel cell and for hydrogen evolution in electrolysis. Platinum, however, is expensive and scarce, and alternatives are required. In general, we aim at obtaining fundamental insight into working catalysts, and to suggest new catalyst systems based on this insight. We identify active sites on model catalysts, either on metallic single crystals or on well-defined nanoparticles deposited on planar substrates. The measured reactivity is correlated with the site availability and/or nanoparticle size. Using a biomimetic approach, MoS2 nanoparticles have been investigated with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and tested for electrochemical hydrogen evolution activity in order to identify the active site. Alloy systems are also investigated for this important reaction. Results from investigations of ruthenium activity will also be presented, ranging for step-site identification for N2 and CO splitting to nanoparticle size dependent CO splitting. All experiments have a fundamental character with important energy related perspectives. Susumu Noda Title: Japan on Photonics Abstract:
Kenji Oeda, Ph.D. Title: Japan's R & D Strategy of Nanotechnology Key words: Abstract: Japanese government has been promoting a five-year Science and Technology Basic Plan for its Third Term during the fiscal years of 2006 to 2010. Nanotechnology / Materials Area has been designated as one of Four Prioritized Areas out of Eight Promotion Areas since the Second Term of the Basic Plan. This presentation provides brief overview and update of the promotion of Nanotechnology / Materials Area. 
Young June Park Title: NANO Systems Institute- National Core Research Center, A Strategy for Silicon Convergence to Biochemical Sensor Applications; Two Cases from COSAR Abstract: 
Joachim Pelka Title: Abstract:
Dennis L. Polla Title: N/MEMS - Building the Future from the Inside Out Abstract: DARPA has long played an important role in the creation of many diverse technologies, new materials, and the processing and manufacturing methodologies important to the development of advanced microsystems. In many areas of both physical and chemical microsystems, key principles of multi-domain scaling and hybrid integration of sub-components have represented successful strategies. MEMS includes the integration of sensors, actuators, electronics, photonics, energy, fluidics, chemistry, and biology into a meaningful system enabled by nanotechnologies, sub-micrometer science, and engineering precision. This presentation will describe selected examples of DARPA MEMS activities where achieving important new capabilities and significantly enhanced performance over macroscale sensor approaches have been demonstrated. For instance, the Micro Gas Analyzer (MGA) Program has recently demonstrated the ability to detect chemical warfare agent simulants with <1 ppt sensitivity in <4 seconds in a miniature package having a volume <10 cm3 and a false-alarm rate of <1 in 107 measurements. DARPA's experience in MEMS over the past decade has involved six important themes: (1) MEMS and nanotechnology enable performance, (2) "smaller is better" is a consequence of multi-domain scaling; (3) simpler is better, (4) MEMS technology commitment drives systems integration and innovation, (5) MEMS are reliable, and (6) a national MEMS basic research infrastructure is important to continued U.S. leadership. These valuable lessons have contributed to the development of many useful microsystems components for both defense and commercial applications. They are also paving the way to the beginning of the next miniaturization technology revolution - NEMS, or nanoelectromechanical systems. While the above lessons are useful in guiding the development of even smaller microsystems, or nanosystems, the most successful DoD applications demonstrated to date may contain just one key subtle inserted of N/MEMS embedded in a complex system. The performance capability enabled by this single N/MEMS component, however, may provide many orders of magnitude benefits in aggregated performance. A number of examples illustrating Department of Defense interests in microsystems will be described as opportunities for exciting new research directions.
Title: DOD Nano Technology Infrastructure Abstract: The DoD has a history of supporting research and development activities in order to meet its national security mission needs. A longstanding commitment to innovative basic research made possible support for research in nanoscience and nanotechnology. Since the DoD is a mission-oriented agency, its nanotechnology programs are distinguished from other federal agencies in that the program activities are simultaneously focused on scientific and technical merit and on relevance to DoD. The DoD has had activities in the long-term challenges and program goals for each of the seven nanotechnology program component areas: Fundamental Nanoscale Phenomena and Processes; Nanomaterials; Nanoscale Devices and Systems; Instrumentation Research, Metrology, and Standards for Nanotechnology; Nanomanufacturing; Societal Dimensions; and Major Research Facilities and Instrumentation Acquisition. The latter investments have resulted in the U.S. Army Research Laboratory's Nanoelectronics Laboratory, the Center for Nano-Soldier technology research, and the Naval Research Laboratory Nanolithography facility. | |||||||
