Guest Speaker

I really enjoyed the guest speaker on Thursday. I thought that his art work was amazing. It was impressive that he was able to design such complex pictures. All of the pictures that he showed us were so detailed, I thought that they would have taken more than just a few hours to create. The program that he used during class made it look like it was possible for anyone to create a basic computer animation if they had access to the program, but obviously creating pictures similar to the ones that he has made requires a lot of talent.

Animaton Talk

The guest speaker last week really blew me away with what you can do on a computer. I never realized that everything he did was possible, and I had never seen sculptures that came from a printer before. It was incredible what he could do to make an animation or just a still picture. I had never really seen how any of that animation works, so it was really interesting to watch him go through some of the steps for us. It was also really inspiring that he was able to find such a small niche that he loved and make money doing it, since most people never think about small jobs such as medical illustrator (I've never really considered who designed the illustrations for all my textbooks).

Awesome animations

All I can say is I am thoroughly amazed with the speaker's talent. He essentially molds his audience's view of science. Illustrations on the covers of science journals and magazines are what draw attention to the inner discoveries, as well as spark interest in the eyes of non-science individuals. Coming from an artistic talent on the stick-people level, I can't imagine what it feels like to have such an ability to create works that sell for $3,000 and up. It was an inspiring presentation.

I thought the guest speaker on Thursday was very interesting. Some of his artwork and animations were amazing to me. I realized that there is so much that is taken for granted in terms of special effects and animations in the media today. It was very cool to see the work that goes into the animations seen today.

animator

Graham Watson's work wsa definitely intriguing. Although it seemed like most of his medical art was too complex to be 'cute' enough for our cartoon, the program that he used seemed similar to that of the one I saw at 'Out of Our Minds'. I think that we can definitely use someone of his expertise in our animation, in order to accurately portray our bio botz. We'll definitely need a bigger grant, first though.

Global Warming (the science, the economics)

People are generally aware that this is a issue. Some deny that its happening. Some may choose to accept it or ignore it. Others may choose to make it a big deal. While it has been shown to signicantly change the environment, the environment is constantly changing anyways. Yes, we are at fault for burning fossil fuels and putting mass amounts of carbon dioxide in the air, but maybe its fate. Its impossible to change the course of history. Had we known that we would create problems for ourselves by the excess carbon dioxide would we have done anything to stop the invention of the automobile? Global warming is an issue thats been debated for years. The debate mostly stems from economical issues, but that's the difference between science and economics. Science provides the facts that global warming should be helped. Economics says that changing the way people live, to rid of great big cars that burn lots of fuel and industrialization, is not a good idea. In my mind, science and economics have always remained distinct, but recently I've discovered that there can be overlap. There are pros and cons to accepting global warming and realizing that we all need to do something about it. There are those who will wish to remain ignorant, but for the rest of us who choose to try to help the issue there are ways that need to be discovered and put out there.

Nanotechnology kills cancer

Jane Lee

FYS: Biotechnology and Molecular Machines

4/18/2007

Nanotechnology kills cancer

In 2003, Naomi Halas goes for the gold. The precious metal gold has uses that are expanding beyond jewelry making and is now highly valued among oncologists and patients with cancer. She discovered that gold can be used in a potential treatment for cancer. Naomi Halas’s creation of the brilliant brilliance tools is one of the many novel technologies that utilizes both nanotechnology and bionanotechnology in the detection and treatment of cancer. While nanotechnology and bionanotechnology are completely different fields of research, in the treatment of cancer, “grey-goo” (referring to nanotechnology) and “green-goo” (bionanotechnology) have formed a lethal combination. Within the last five years, nanotubes, nanoshells, nanoparticles, and nanocomplexes are tools that have been created and have been combined with the biological identification system, known as antibodies. By considering three technologies that utilize nanotechnology and biological markers, it is obvious that these nanotechnologies have been advantageous in the fight against cancer and can be the future in cancer research. Based on different methods, each of these tools has the potential to radically improve the methods of detecting and destroying cancer cells.

There has been a search for finding new optical material for drug delivery and biological markers. Meanwhile, Halas who previously worked with nanoparticles to control electromagnetic waves was referred to Jennifer West to find a biological marker by finding particles that would radiate light. Halas decided to go an alternate route with gold nanoshells instead of carbon nanotubes because of it can more precisely control waves of light. Gold nanoshells do not trigger immune defenses; therefore the injection of the nanoshells into the body would not cause any severe side-effects. These gold nanoshells were found to accumulate in cancer cells because of the hyperpermeability of the vessels. In other words, because tumors are leaky large molecules, such as gold nanoshells, that could not normally diffuse through vessels can penetrate tumors. The accumulation of gold nanoshells at these sites would allow researchers to detect cancer from a reflection of waves from these microscopic gold shells.

When Halas and West became partners, they discovered more than a way to detect cancer from the buildup of gold nanoshells at these leaky sites. After the gold accumulated to tumors, an invisible infrared laser light was shined on the skin. At a light wave frequency that was high enough, the gold nanoshells were found to destroy cancer. This was due to the gold’s ability to superheat when a light frequency hits, while still remaining at a harmless frequency so that the light emitted from the shell does not kill nearby healthy cells. This process is similar to the intensification and focusing of a light shining through a magnifying glass.

Although this showed promising results for the destruction of tumors with leaky sites, but there were flaws that needed to be modified to ensure that the gold nanoshells traveled only to tumor sites. Other than the leaky vessels that surround tumors, cancer is identified by specific protein receptors. Depending on the type of cancer, many cells display ratios of different proteins in the cell membrane which acts as a marker to identify the cell as a cancer cell. With this knowledge and based on other successful nanotechnologies that utilized antibodies, the gold nanoshells were modified so that antibodies attached to the shell to allow more precise delivery. Since gold nanoshells do no trigger immune response, they have the potential to travel throughout the blood. Gold nanoshells can target and kill cancer cells that have metastasized without leaving behind a toxic trail.

Naomi Halas discovery of gold nanoshells for the treatment of cancer is actually a more radical nanotechnology because her unconventional use of gold instead of carbon, which is the material most often exploited in nanotechnology. The first major nanotechnology that researchers studied was carbon nanotubes. Because of its diverse properties, carbon nanotubes have been used in a variety of applications. Carbon nanotubes 20 to 100 nanometers long is small enough to easily permeate through any cell membrane and into cells which is more useful than relying on the leaky vessels of tumor cells. Because of its ability to penetrate through membranes, carbon nanotubes have been used to deliver drugs into cells. In order to target specifically cancer cells, the carbon nanotubes require special identification.

Halas’s modification of gold nanotubes to specifically target certain cancer cells was based on the technology created by Dr. Balaji Panchapakesan, who coated a single walled carbon nanotube with monoclonal antibodies. Antibodies, the special identification system, only allow for specific access into the cancer cells. Nanotubes with monoclonal antibodies were found to detect breast cancer, and later modified into what are being called “nanobombs” to fight the growth of reoccurring cancer cells.

Nanobombs travel through the blood, find and target cancer cells. Antibodies are first attached to carbon nanotube wires to create nanosensors. Panchapakesan discovered that the binding of an antibody to its target molecule creates an electric current, and that this current is proportional to the number of receptors on the cell and number of antibodies on the carbon nanotube. By detecting the change in electric current, the antibodies attached to the carbon nanotubes can detect cancers if there is the presence of certain target molecules, “markers,” which are found on exclusively on certain cancer cells. Panchapakesan discovered that these electric currents, with the right modifications, such as the right number of antibodies, waves can actually blow apart the cancer cells it enters, acting as nanoscale bombs with shockwaves that can kill the cancer cells and blood vessels around these cancerous cells. It does this with the absorption of near-infrared light, which is harmless under normal cirucumstances. Since the carbon nanotubes only enter the cancer cells for which it has antibodies attached to, healthy cells are not affected.

Antibodies have also been incorporated into a system of nanoparticles that holds and releases drugs when necessary. This nanotechnology has been successfully created to safetly contain and administer chemical assassins. When the nanoparticle penetrates a cancer cell, it can release chemicals such as hormones, cell-killing peptides, or anticancer drugs which have the potential of destroying primary and cancer cells that have metastasized. As targeting delivery systems, the drugs are specified to the type of cancer being detected or treated. This technology delivers drugs in small doses that cannot penetrate cell membranes but are essential for the cell’s function. These particles can also be programmed to slow-release in treatments that require this type of technology. Similarly, nanoparticles made up of liposomes have been called nanocomplexes. Dr. James Baker discovered these nanocomplexes as man-made nanoscale machines with tiny tendrils that could be engineered to battle specific cancers. Baker worked with chemist Donald Tomalia who created dendrimers. From this teamwork emerged nanocomplexes, which are covered in antibodies, have been used with gene therapy and have proven to be another means to cancer detection and therapy. Nanocomplexes work similar to viruses. They can splice part of the genome without the unreliability of viral vectors. Using the gene that triggers apoptosis, the nanocomplexes turn the cancer cell against itself.

Scientists have looked toward other solutions to fight cancer. Nanotechnologies and bionanotechnology is the key to both detecting and fighting cancer. Because of their miniscule size, nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanoshells are able to enter cells. Even despite their small size, nanoparticles, shells, and tubes are able to cause damage. The research available shows promise of a shorter diagnoses period, cut down to minutes instead of days. The therapies for killing tumors both primary and metastatic are targeted and nontoxic. Therefore healthy cells are not damaged as they are in therapies available today. Additional advantages are the self destruct of carbon nanotubes when it kills the cancer cells and the self-destruction of cancer cells. Macrophages can clean up the shells so that there is not a buildup of carbon material which can potentially cause problems including blockage in blood vessels and kidneys. These therapies provides fewer side effects than the available treatments such as chemotherapy, which nonspecifically kills normal cells in addition to cancer cells. Halas, Panchapekan, and Baker created nanotechnologies that can destroy specific targeted cancer cells by use of antibodies and properties of the shells and light or gene therapy. These technology to destroy cancer can not only detect cancer within a few minutes instead of days, but can destroy cancer without the toxic effect of current treatments.

References

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3209/03.html

http://www.ece.rice.edu/~halas/

http://nano.cancer.gov/news_center/nanotech_news_2006-01-17d.asp

http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/news/2005/07/68195?currentPage=2

Global Warming

Global warming is a problem that our generation needs to fix. While it is debatable whether or not humanity is the main contributor to global warming, it is evident that global warming is seriously putting the world's current ecosystem in jeopardy. Furthermore, it is evident that reported causes of global warming, like widespread oil use, are hurting the environment in more then one way.

Current energy resources like oil are an enviornmental hazard. Huge oil exporters like Nigeria see their people suffer from damage the "black gold" has inflicted on the country's once fertile shorline. Farming is nearly impossible in the country's Niger Delta region. Similary, fishermen from the region find it difficult to feed themselves; all the fish have died from water pollution resulting from oil spills.

We must understand that in preventing global warming we will better the world. It is impposible to deny that cleaner and more progressive technologies and energy resources will enhance our lifestyles.

Global Warming

I think global warming is definitely a concern; it might not be quite as big a deal as the fear-mongers make it out to be, but we are changing the environment in drastic ways and there are many simple things we can do to try and reverse the process. It's not that hard to reduce the CO2 emissions on a daily basis, but many people are still unwilling to admit that the environment is changing at all and therefore refuse to change even small habits that would make a big difference.

Global Warming

I think that global warning is something that our generation will definitely have to act on to do everything we can to save our environment. I dont know if you guys watch that show Planet Earth but they show this one commercial during it that talks about how we are destroying many of the elements in the world and how (Hu) the human element is the only way to change what we as a global population have begun to destry. Contrary to Prof. Macosko's beliefs, I think that a little political propaganda just might well be the way to spark some inspiration in the people of this country.

In my opinion, there is certainly enough scientific data to believe that global warming is occuring and a definite threat. Even if global warming will not affect the earth for many, many years, it is still something we should take into consideration. The problem seems to be that people either do not want to change their lifestyles or they do not want to believe that the earth could cease to exist. Either way, many people will not change their ways of life to help minimize global warming. If we just took simple steps, such as buying hybrid cars, we could greatly minimize global warming. Furthermore, we would have cleaner air. Thus, the changes we would make would help in several areas of health.

Global warming is an established fact by now. Within my lifetime, I have seen elevated winter temperatures in my hometown. Whether this is due to global warming or just climate shift is unclear. However, the concept of environmental change and its effects on life is disturbing. Even with petitions to reduce CO2 emissions in the atmosphere and overall publicity, I do not think that drastic changes will be made in the near future. People like Algore who drive global warming campaigns fly to the speech destinations in private jets. This may be "necessary" to his cause, but it also demonstrates the hypocritical and selfish attitude that inhibits action toward a solution.

Global Warming

To be honest I am not as educated as I would like to be or even as I should be with reguards to global warming. I do think that it is a very real issue that must be dealt with in trying to save or preserve our environment. Whether it is being caused by man or by natural causes I am unsure of but I do believe that it cannot be ignored. I am not in support of the Al Gore tape and movements like these as I feel that they cause more harm than good in causing what Professor Macosko described as conspiracy mongering.

Global Warming

I don't trust all the "gloom and doom" that is layed out in "An Incovenient Truth". It is obvious that there is something wrong with our environment and things can turn bad very quickly. But to make such negative prognostications just worsens the problem. Instead of making everyone aware of the plight and educating them without a bias, the overall message of the documentary is much too negative to have an effect on me. With that being said, however, I do believe that our environment is undergoing major changes. Whether it is caused by man or nature is still to be determined. Taking precautions such as using hybrid cars is a great idea and cool at the same time, as Kyle explained during class. Some people are convinced Global Warming is caused by man. Others are convinced that man could never cause a change like that. I'm content to say I don't know.

Global Warming

I think Al Gore is a fantastic representative of Global Warming, even if his approach appears to be propaganda-ish. He is a phenomenal speaker and presenter, and the team that creates his figures are top-notch. Watching his program "An Inconvenient Truth" made me a little worried about Global Warming. Despite this praise, I think Gore would do well to propose more solutions than he has, rather than just preach about gloom and doom. Also, the precise long-term future implications would be nice. For example, it would be nice to know if it would be possible for the environment to rebound from this warming, and what the warming's effects on the next ice age would be. Overall, though, I believe most of what Gore says, and I think he will continue to be a great spokesperson for the global warming issue.

Terminator Technology

This is a new techonology that allows plants to grow just like they normally would except the seeds that these plants produce will not be able to grow another plant. This will force farmers to buy new seeds every season and greatly increase the price of farming. It is going to have a major negative impact on the developing world by not allowing low budget farmers to make as high of a margin on their product due to the reinvestment they will have to make in seeds each year.