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Monday, 6th October 2008 (5740 views)

Nanotechnology may provide scientists with a "faster and more efficient means" to develop many applications ranging from electronics to medicine, it has been claimed.

The field is "uniquely promising" as an early detection method for cancer researchers, according to the Gold Nanoparticles blog.

It may enable scientists to diagnose cancer when the earliest cell changes occur, before a physical exam or current imaging tools can detect it.

Many different types of nanomaterials are being utilised by researchers in order to progress the technology, including nanotubes, nanoshells, nanopores and cantilevers, which are shaped like an anchor.

Gold is particularly useful in producing nanoshells, tiny beads that are coated with the precious metal and can be linked to cancer-fighting antibodies.

A team from Arizona State Univesrity and the Los Almos laboratory recently created gold 'nanojewels' made up of multiple nanoparticles.

They are mostly spherical but are flat on the bottom and could potentially be used in a range of products including medicine and computer engineering.

 

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