Nanotechnology for Healthcare

Nanotechnology has emerged in the last decade as an exciting new research field. For engineers, nanotechnology is the new microtechnology, enabling, for example, faster and better computer chips. For the biosciences, nanotechnology is a window to an entirely new research area.

'Nanotechnology for healthcare' offers unique opportunities for radically improved diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases. An example is the development of nanoscale sensor elements, such as silicon nanowires that have been coated with a specific disease-related protein or DNA segment. This novel class of biosensor can be mass-produced with existing microchip-type technologies, opening the way to simple diagnostic kits for complex diseases that can be used outside expensive and overloaded hospital laboratories, potentially even at home.

Establishing new links and breaking new ground

However, because biomedical scientists and microelectronic engineers have no significant tradition of collaboration, there is no established international network or platform for biomedical nanotechnology.

To address this obstacle to realizing the potential of medical nanotechnology, we propose to enhance scientific collaboration and postgraduate cross-disciplinary training by creating a sustainable worldwide network of internationally leading researchers who already have strong local networks.

Aims and objectives

To hold an international summer school that will bring together postgraduate students from different backgrounds (engineering, chemistry, biosciences) and leading international scientists who will teach about underlying concepts, general trends and specific examples of state-of-the-art research in nanotechnology for healthcare applications.

To organise a workshop, which will be a satellite to the annual European NanoBioTech meeting, which will provide a unique platform to present cutting-edge research in medical nanotechnology and will forge new collaborations and networks.

Cross-disciplinary training and sustained collaboration will also be facilitated by research student exchange between the WUN partners.