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A golden bullet for cancer

A golden bullet for cancer

Magic bullets, also called silver bullets, because of the folkloric belief that only silver bullets can kill supernatural creatures, remain the goal of drug development efforts today. A team of scientists at Washington Univ. in St. Louis is currently working on a magic bullet for cancer. But their bullets are gold rather than silver.

Making cells feel right at home

The film "Avatar" isn't the only 3-D blockbuster making a splash this winter. A team of scientists from Houston's Texas Medical Center this week unveiled a new technique for growing 3-D cell cultures, a technological leap from the flat petri dish that could save millions of dollars in drug-testing costs.

Once a seafarers' scourge, the gribble could be biofuel hero

Once a seafarers' scourge, the gribble could be biofuel hero

Tiny marine isopods called gribbles were for centuries the bane of sailors, whose vessels were quickly devoured. Even today, piers and docks are rapidly gnawed away, and researchers have now been attracted to the enzymes in their gut, which can convert wood into sugars without the help of microbes.

Next wave of microelectronic biomedical devices

Next wave of microelectronic biomedical devices

A team of  engineers from MIT’s Microsystems Technology Laboratory (MTL) are working on tiny, low-power chips that could diagnose heart problems, monitor patients with Parkinson’s disease or predict seizures in epileptic patients.

Lunar tires, space MRSA, and resonating microfluidics

Lunar tires, space MRSA, and resonating microfluidics

I typically attend the annual Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy each year in pursuit of specific coverage. This year, I sought out candidates for coverage in a vacuum technology article, and pulled together some instruments for a spectroscopy guide. But as busy as that kept me, it wasn’t all mass spectrometers and vacuum pumps on the show floor.  

The killing power of clay: Advancing antibacterial alternatives

The killing power of clay: Advancing antibacterial alternatives

Researchers from the Arizona State Univ. have helped advance understanding about the antibacterial activity of clay minerals and their ability to kill what the best antibiotics on the market can't touch.  

Hitting cancer where it hurts

Taking gold nanoparticles to the cancer cell and hitting them with a laser has been shown to be a promising tool in fighting cancer, but what about cancers that occur in places where a laser light can’t reach? Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have shown that by directing gold nanoparticles into the nuclei of cancer cells, they can not only prevent them from multiplying, but can kill them where they lurk.

Material mimics bone to create better biomedical implants

Material mimics bone to create better biomedical implants

Researchers at North Carolina Univ. have developed a “metal foam” that has a similar elasticity to bone, which could mean a new generation of  biomedical implants that would avoid bone rejection that often results from more rigid implant materials, such as titanium.  

Universal DNA reader to advance faster, cheaper sequencing efforts

Universal DNA reader to advance faster, cheaper sequencing efforts

Arizona State scientists have come up with a new twist in their efforts to develop a faster and cheaper way to read the DNA genetic code. They have developed the first, versatile DNA reader that can discriminate between DNA's four core chemical components—the key to unlocking the vital code behind human heredity and health.

Silver nanoparticles may help keep hearts beating strong

Diamonds and gold may make some hearts flutter on Valentine's Day, but in a Univ. at Buffalo laboratory, silver nanoparticles are being designed to do just the opposite.

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Much ado about next to nothing

Much ado about next to nothing

The recent review of the past 10 years of the National Nanotechnology Initiative--as presented by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology--suggested the rise of nanomanufacturing as the near future of nanotechnology. But the actual proposed funding reflects a cautious approach, even about nanotech in general.

Lunar tires, space MRSA, and resonating microfluidics

Lunar tires, space MRSA, and resonating microfluidics

I typically attend the annual Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy each year in pursuit of specific coverage. This year, I sought out candidates for coverage in a vacuum technology article, and pulled together some instruments for a spectroscopy guide. But as busy as that kept me, it wasn’t all mass spectrometers and vacuum pumps on the show floor.  

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NuGard Coating Ashburn Hill

NuGard Coating Ashburn Hill

NuGard First Response Protective Clothing are lightweight coveralls, jackets, and pants that provide protection from heat and flame while keeping the wearers body temperature constant.

Multi-Touch Music Maker

Multi-Touch Music Maker

Professor David Wessel shows his multi-touch interface that uses computer technologies that allow him to experiment with fine controls to "caress" the instrument.

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P2i showcases liquid repellent nano-coating for hearing aids
P2i showcases liquid repellent nano-coating for hearing aids

At the AudiologyNOW! 2010 show in San Diego next month, UK-based coatings company P2i will display their relatively new Aridion liquid-repellant nano-coating. Designed for exposure to humidity or sweat, the polymer layer is applied by a pulsed ion gas process that lower’s the hearing aid’s surface energy, coaxing water away from delicate components.

Submersible FlowCAM catches particle images and data in-situ and real-time

Fluid Imaging Technologies recently introduced its Submersible FlowCAM particle and cell imaging and analysis system at Ocean Sciences 2010 in Portland, Ore. The remote sensing platform can be used for continuous, unattended monitoring tethered to research vessels or autonomous submersibles.

Tools & Technology

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Benchtop NMR analyzer
Benchtop NMR analyzer

Oxford Instruments America, Inc.’s Magnetic Resonance Group released the second generation of its MQC analyzers.

Software solution for microarray image analysis

BioDiscovery Inc. released ImaGene 9.0 for microarray image analysis. The new features include improved memory performance for the latest high density arrays, streamlined processing pipeline focused on image quantification and intensity extraction, and new modular design with options to add modules for analysis of gene/miRNA expression or CGH data.

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