medical

SmallTalk is a podcast series chatting about nanotechnology with leading scientists, thinkers, artists, writers, and visionaries, and look at quirky nanoscience stories in the news. Dr. Stephanie Chasteen, of the Exploratorium’s Teacher Institute, hosted this series in 2007. Podcase Episodes: • Nature’s Playing Field: Nanotechnology and Medicine Dr. Tejal Desai, UCSF and Dr. Thomas Murray, Hastings Center Running Time: 00:30:48 • Nanotechnology’s Role in Making Cheap Solar Power Dr. Jeff Grossman, UCB and Patrick Lin, Nanoethics Group Running Time: 00:26:04 • Consumer Products Using Nanotechnology Julia Moore and Evan Michelson, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Running Time: 26:56 • Vroom! Nanocars and Nanofactories Dr. Jim Tour, Rice University and Diane Hickey, University of Florida Running Time: 00:28:20 • Nanograffiti: Building from the Atoms Up Dr. Don Eigler, IBM and Tom Rockwell, Exploratorium Running Time: 00:22:52

“DNA Nanotechnology” is a facilitated, hands-on activity exploring deoxyribonucleic acid, a nanoscale structure that occurs in nature. Visitors extract a sample of DNA from split peas and put it in an Eppendorf tube to take home. They learn that nanoscientists study DNA to understand its biological function, and that they also use it to make other nanoscale materials and devices.

"Treating Tumors with Gold" presents promising research being conducted at Rice University in Texas. Through videos and demonstrations, the program considers the following questions: What is a tumor and what causes it to spread? What is a gold nanoshell and how does it kill tumor cells? What does the future hold for targeted cancer therapies?

In the Nanomedicine exhibition, four individual exhibit components highlight nanotechnology’s vast potential for diagnosing and treating disease, as well as its ability to help damaged tissue regrow. Test for thousands of diseases with a single nano-based chip, target tumor cells for treatment with nanoparticles in a tabletop game, and regrow severed nerve endings on nanoscale scaffolding. These exhibits were developed by the NISE Network; copies are located at the Museum of Science in Boston, OMSI in Oregon, and the Arkansas Discovery Network.