User:Sean McFarland: Difference between revisions

Hello Everyone!

As you may have already gathered, my name is Sean McFarland, and I am currently a junior pursuing a B.S. in molecular biology (with minors in nanotechnology, chemistry, honors, and possibly creative writing) at Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Over the course of this (Spring '08) semester, I will be seeking to detail a device or idea involving nanotechnology that will help further the goals of Appropedia in improving the human condition. As my major and future career inclinations would dictate, I am primarily interested in a project that would include material of a biological persuasion. After I do some reading and reviews of the literature currently out there, I'll be sure to continue to update this page as I flesh out exactly what I'd like to do.

Areas of Interest:

• Somatic gene therapy
• Transgenic food crops
• Computer / web programming

Current Project Ideas:

• Solar-powered UV lamp for water sterilization.
• Use of silicon nanowires in batteries to improve energy density.
• Use of nanodevices in DNA delivery, improving upon methods in somatic gene therapy and crop engineering.

Project Decision

After much thought, I have decided to go with the third project idea/area, "Use of nanodevices in DNA delivery, improving upon methods in somatic gene therapy and crop engineering," however, the focus may change depending upon the content further research turns up. Regardless, it is assured that it will be something to do with the field of nanomedicine. Below, find a list of sources that I am beginning to compile.

Yesterday morning (1/23/08) I read an article detailing the potential for using highly charged water ions propelled via electrospray to facilitate the entry of genes into a variety of cell types. The key term here was cheap (given that I am working off of an undergraduate budget), so I will look into this further and see if anything can be made of it. Quite exciting, considering it may provide me with a topic to cover this Appropedia project, a new avenue for undergraduate research, and material for my senior project!

Search Log

Note: Resources followed by "***" are full-text. Those lacking this availability may be candidates for interlibrary loan.

• Google Scholar:

    "nanomedicine" to page 3 of results, 3rd entry.

1. Nanomedicine: current status and future prospects 2005 ***
2. Nanomedicine Book Site 1996-2003 ***
3. Optical tracking of organically modified silica nanoparticles as DNA carriers: A nonviral, nanomedicine approach for gene delivery 2005 ***
4. Assembly automation with evolutionary nanorobots and sensor-based control applied to nanomedicine 2003
5. From molecular biology to nanotechnology and nanomedicine 2002
6. Molecular Imaging Applications in Nanomedicine 2004
7. The Future of Nanofabrication and Molecular Scale Devices in Nanomedicine 2002
8. Toward the Emergence of Nanoneurosurgery: Part III-Nanomedicine: Targeted Nanotherapy, Nanosurgery, and Progress Toward the Realization of Nanoneurosurgery 2006
9. Autonomous Multi-Robot Sensor-Based Cooperation for Nanomedicine 2006 ***
10. The emerging nanomedicine landscape 2006 ***
11. Nanomedicine for respiratory diseases 2006 ***
12. Nanotechnology, nanomedicine, and the development of new, effective therapies for cancer 2005
13. Nanomedicine: developing smarter therapeutic and diagnostic modalities 2006
14. Nanomedicine: how it could reshape clinical practice 2007 ***
15. Particulate nanomedicines 2006

    "nano gene therapy" to page 3 of results, 7th entry.

1. Polyion complex micelles as vectors in gene therapy – pharmacokinetics and in vivo gene transfer 2002 ***
2. Chitosan-DNA nanoparticles as non-viral vectors in gene therapy: strategies to improve transfection efficacy 2004
3. In vitro characterization and delivery of chitosan-DNA microparticles into mammalian cells 2004 ***
4. Development of a non-viral multifunctional envelope-type nano device by a novel lipid film hydration method 2004
5. Covalently Linked Au Nanoparticles to a Viral Vector: Potential for Combined Photothermal and Gene Cancer Therapy 2006 ***
6. Characterization of folate-chitosan-DNA nanoparticles for gene therapy 2006
7. Gene therapy progress and prospects: targeted gene repair 2005
8. Gene therapy progress and prospects: magnetic nanoparticle-based gene delivery 2006
9. Biodegradable nanoparticles for drug and gene delivery to cells and tissue 2003
10. Bio-functional inorganic materials: an attractive branch of gene-based nano-medicine delivery for 21st century 2005
11. Synthetic and natural polycations for gene therapy: state of the art and new perspectives 2006
12. A bio-recognition device developed onto nano-crystals of carbonate apatite for cell-targeted gene delivery 2005
13. A bio-recognition device developed onto nano-crystals of carbonate apatite for cell-targeted gene delivery 2005

• Pubmed:

    "nanomedicine" (Limited to free full-text) all 23 results.

1. Simulations of Electrophoretic RNA Transport Through Transmembrane Carbon Nanotubes 2008 ***
2. Integrated therapy and research progress in molecular therapy for intracranial tumor 2007 ***
3. Nanofabricated particles for engineered drug therapies: a preliminary biodistribution study of PRINT nanoparticles 2007 ***
4. Targeted pharmaceutical nanocarriers for cancer therapy and imaging 2007 ***
5. Future direction of nanomedicine in gastrointestinal cancer 2007 ***
6. Nanomedicine: techniques, potentials, and ethical implications 2006 ***
7. Targeted drug-carrying bacteriophages as antibacterial nanomedicines 2007 ***
8. FePt@CoS(2) yolk-shell nanocrystals as a potent agent to kill HeLa cells 2007 ***
9. Nanotools for megaproblems: probing protein misfolding diseases using nanomedicine modus operandi 2006 ***
10. Surface coatings determine cytotoxicity and irritation potential of quantum dot nanoparticles in epidermal keratinocytes 2007 ***
11. Nanoparticles in diagnostics and therapy: towards nanomedicine 2006 ***
12. Nano neuro knitting: peptide nanofiber scaffold for brain repair and axon regeneration with functional return of vision 2006 ***
13. Nanomedicine and protein misfolding diseases 2005 ***
14. Cytotoxicity of water-soluble fullerene in vascular endothelial cells 2006 ***
15. Is nanotechnology ready for primetime? 2006 ***
16. Organically modified silica nanoparticles: a nonviral vector for in vivo gene delivery and expression in the brain 2005 ***

If you happen to stumble upon this page and would like some food for thought, I'd suggest looking up the MFoundation, whose SENS plan stands to benefit all human beings the world over.

--Sean McFarland 06:16, 25 January 2008 (PST)