Bringing Nanotechnology to Health Care for the Poor
Nanotechnology uses matter at the level of molecules and atoms. Researchers are finding different uses for particles with a length of one nanometer, or one-billionth of a meter. These include things like beauty products1 and dirt-resistant clothing. But one area where many experts believe nanotechnology holds great promise is medicine.
Last week, speakers at a program in Washington discussed using nanotechnology to improve health care in developing countries. The program took place at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Peter Singer at the University of Toronto says a nanotechnology called quantum dots2 could be used to confirm cases of malaria. He says k could offer a better way than the traditional process of looking at a person's blood under a microscope.
In poor countries, this process is often not followed. As a result, sick people may get treated for malaria even if they do not have it. Such misuse of medicines can lead to drug resistance. Quantum dots are particles that give off3 light when activated. Researchers are studying ways to program them to identify diseases by lighting up in the presence of a targeted molecule.4
Experts say nanotechnology shows promise not just for diagnosing diseases, but also for treating them. Piotr Grodzinski of the National Institutes of Health5 talked about how nanotechnology could make drugs more effective. He talked about cancer drugs already developed with nanotechnology. He says if a drug can target a cancer locally in the body, then much less of it might be needed, and that means lower side effects.6
Andrew Maynard is chief scientist for the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson Center. He noted that Brazil, India, China and South Africa are currently doing nanotechnology research that could help poor countries. But he also noted that there is some risk in using nano-materials. He says nanometer-sized particles behave differently in the body and the environment compared to larger particles7. Experts say more investment in research is needed to better understand these risks.
納米保健技術走向貧困國家
納米技術的應用對象都是分子級和原子級的物質。如今，長度為一納米，即十億分之一米的粒 子已被開發(fā)出多種用途，如制造美容產品和抗污型服裝等。但其中一個領域科學家認為潛力尤為巨 大，那就是醫(yī)藥領域。 •
在上周于華盛頓Woodrow Wilson國際中心召開的一個項目會議上，科學家們探討了如何將納 米技術應用于貧困國家人口保健的事宜。
來自多倫多大學的Peter Singer聲稱一項名為量子點的納米技術可被應用于瘧疾的診斷。相對 于傳統(tǒng)的僅用顯微鏡觀察血液樣本的方法，此技術要先進得多。
由于貧困國家往往沒有條件應用此項新技術，許多健康人被誤診為瘧疾患者，而藥物的濫用又 導致了抗藥性的產生。所謂量子點是指一些被激活后會發(fā)光的粒子，如今科學家正在研究為它們編 程的方法，以便當靶分子存在的時候就能夠通過發(fā)光來診斷疾病。
納米技術的優(yōu)越性不光體現(xiàn)在疾病的診斷，還包括疾病的治療。國立衛(wèi)生研究所的Piotr Grodzinski與大家共同探討了如何運用納米技術來增強藥效。以一些已經(jīng)使用了納米技術的抗癌藥 物為例，他指出，如果藥物可以針對癌癥病灶而不是整個人體，治療所需藥量就會大大減少，副作用 也會降低。
Andrew Maynard是Woodrow Wilson中心新興的納米技術工程部骨干科學家，他注意到巴西、 印度、中國及南非正在開發(fā)可被貧困國家所應用的納米技術。與此同時他指出，與較大分子不同，納 米材料的顆粒在人體內和體外環(huán)境中的作用可能有所不同，因此納米技術的應用存在一定風險，若 要深入研究這些風險則需要更大的資金投入。
Nanotechnology uses matter at the level of molecules and atoms. Researchers are finding different uses for particles with a length of one nanometer, or one-billionth of a meter. These include things like beauty products1 and dirt-resistant clothing. But one area where many experts believe nanotechnology holds great promise is medicine.
Last week, speakers at a program in Washington discussed using nanotechnology to improve health care in developing countries. The program took place at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Peter Singer at the University of Toronto says a nanotechnology called quantum dots2 could be used to confirm cases of malaria. He says k could offer a better way than the traditional process of looking at a person's blood under a microscope.
In poor countries, this process is often not followed. As a result, sick people may get treated for malaria even if they do not have it. Such misuse of medicines can lead to drug resistance. Quantum dots are particles that give off3 light when activated. Researchers are studying ways to program them to identify diseases by lighting up in the presence of a targeted molecule.4
Experts say nanotechnology shows promise not just for diagnosing diseases, but also for treating them. Piotr Grodzinski of the National Institutes of Health5 talked about how nanotechnology could make drugs more effective. He talked about cancer drugs already developed with nanotechnology. He says if a drug can target a cancer locally in the body, then much less of it might be needed, and that means lower side effects.6
Andrew Maynard is chief scientist for the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson Center. He noted that Brazil, India, China and South Africa are currently doing nanotechnology research that could help poor countries. But he also noted that there is some risk in using nano-materials. He says nanometer-sized particles behave differently in the body and the environment compared to larger particles7. Experts say more investment in research is needed to better understand these risks.
納米保健技術走向貧困國家
納米技術的應用對象都是分子級和原子級的物質。如今，長度為一納米，即十億分之一米的粒 子已被開發(fā)出多種用途，如制造美容產品和抗污型服裝等。但其中一個領域科學家認為潛力尤為巨 大，那就是醫(yī)藥領域。 •
在上周于華盛頓Woodrow Wilson國際中心召開的一個項目會議上，科學家們探討了如何將納 米技術應用于貧困國家人口保健的事宜。
來自多倫多大學的Peter Singer聲稱一項名為量子點的納米技術可被應用于瘧疾的診斷。相對 于傳統(tǒng)的僅用顯微鏡觀察血液樣本的方法，此技術要先進得多。
由于貧困國家往往沒有條件應用此項新技術，許多健康人被誤診為瘧疾患者，而藥物的濫用又 導致了抗藥性的產生。所謂量子點是指一些被激活后會發(fā)光的粒子，如今科學家正在研究為它們編 程的方法，以便當靶分子存在的時候就能夠通過發(fā)光來診斷疾病。
納米技術的優(yōu)越性不光體現(xiàn)在疾病的診斷，還包括疾病的治療。國立衛(wèi)生研究所的Piotr Grodzinski與大家共同探討了如何運用納米技術來增強藥效。以一些已經(jīng)使用了納米技術的抗癌藥 物為例，他指出，如果藥物可以針對癌癥病灶而不是整個人體，治療所需藥量就會大大減少，副作用 也會降低。
Andrew Maynard是Woodrow Wilson中心新興的納米技術工程部骨干科學家，他注意到巴西、 印度、中國及南非正在開發(fā)可被貧困國家所應用的納米技術。與此同時他指出，與較大分子不同，納 米材料的顆粒在人體內和體外環(huán)境中的作用可能有所不同，因此納米技術的應用存在一定風險，若 要深入研究這些風險則需要更大的資金投入。