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| WHAT'S BIG IN SMALL SCIENCE? A Quarterly Newsletter of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) |
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DIRECTOR'S CORNER
The NNCO is also busy preparing for a transition in leadership. My term as NNCO Director is swiftly coming to an end. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve in this role and work with the entire nanotechnology community. I am grateful to the NNCO team and the interagency NNI community for their support over these many years. I also thank all of my podcast guests and other participants in our activities for help telling the NNI story. Unfortunately, I can’t announce the new leadership yet, but I assure you there is a fantastic team, a new Director and Deputy Director, who are scheduled to come onboard in August and lead the next phase of the NNI. I am excited to see what they, and all of you, do with nanotechnology into the future. |
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NEWS FROM NNI AGENCIES On April 20, FDA published its final Guidance for Industry on Drug Products, Including Biological Products, that Contain Nanomaterials. This document provides guidance on the development of human drug products, including those that are biological products, in which a nanomaterial is present in the finished dosage form. On June 16, FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research announced the release of three International Test Method Standards in Nanotechnology. The three standards, which were published by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International, are standard test methods for lipid quantitation in liposomal formulations using high-performance liquid chromatography. The following examples highlight recent nanotechnology research advances: Blood pressure e-tattoo promises continuous, mobile monitoring (funded by NIH, DOD, and NSF); Researchers develop recyclable nanocellulose food containers (funded by USDA); Nanoparticle sensor can distinguish between viral and bacterial pneumonia (funded in part by NIH); New technique is a big nano-step forward in fabricating the next generation of transistors (funded in part by DOD, DOE, and NSF); New artificial enzyme breaks down tough, woody lignin: Study shows promise for developing a new renewable energy source (funded by USDA, DOE, and NSF); Ultrasound-guided microbubbles boost immunotherapy efficacy (funded in part by NIH and DOD); A unique catalyst paves the way for plastic upcycling (funded by DOE); A nanoparticle and inhibitor trigger the immune system, outsmarting brain cancer (funded by NIH); New theory promises to reshape how we think about polymer superstructures (funded by DOE); Perception-based nanosensor platform could advance detection of ovarian cancer (funded in part by NIST, NIH, and NSF); ‘Metalens’ could disrupt vacuum UV market (funded in part by DOD and NSF); New process aims to strip ammonia from wastewater (funded in part by NSF and DOE); Inspired by prehistoric creatures, researchers make record-setting lenses (funded in part by NIST); Using MOFs to efficiently break down plastic bottles into component parts (funded by NSF and DOE); Sugar-coated nanoparticles target macrophages, reverse pulmonary fibrosis (funded by NIH). |
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NANOTECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION Commercialization of nanotechnology-enabled products continues to advance, with several recent announcements from companies across the country. A company located in Alameda, CA, will open its first stand-alone factory for production of its silicon-based anode material, which the company says can boost the energy density of lithium-ion batteries by 20%. The company has received four SBIR awards from NSF and DOE. A Milpitas, CA, company has teamed with a partner company to develop a next-generation quantum dot component that enhances the conversion of mini-LED blue light into reds and greens. Per the company, this development will allow increased penetration into the sub-$400 television market. A company based in Woodinville, WA, is developing nanoscale silicon-based materials to increase battery energy density and life cycle. The company reports a 50% performance improvement over traditional lithium-ion battery materials. Another company, located in Manassas, VA, has developed a nanotechnology-enabled method to monitor wastewater for the presence of viruses. This company has announced the establishment of six new wastewater-based epidemiology centers of excellence, which add to the nine existing centers of excellence and to a wastewater testing program in metro Atlanta run by a local university. These efforts are supported by an $8.2 million award from the NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative. |
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NANOTECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY (nanoEHS) IMPLICATIONS The upcoming series of nanoEHS webinars will focus on nanoEHS research going forward. The Next in NanoEHS theme will complement the recently concluded What We Know about NanoEHS webinar series and will discuss key topics for future nanoEHS research, including research on incidental nanomaterials such as nanoplastics and emissions from 3D printers. The series will share perspectives on how the emerging landscape for nanoEHS is being shaped by recent nanotechnology innovation, along with two decades of research on the safety of nanomaterials. Recordings of past nanoEHS webinars are available on Nano.gov, under “Technical Webinars.” |
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STEM EDUCATION
The Teaching Nano & Emerging Technologies Network has launched a NanoEducators Quarterly Forum to provide teachers with opportunities for community building, ideas for classroom experiments, and engagement with nanotechnology researchers. Join the community to participate in short informational talks with nanoscience teachers, discussions about cutting-edge nanoscience topics, and informal, potluck-style resource sharing. Future events are planned for September 2022, November 2022, and January 2023. Click here to join the discussion and be added to the mailing list. For more information, please reach out to nanoed@nnco.nano.gov. |
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NANOTECHNOLOGY AND YOU |
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NNCO IN THE COMMUNITY Friedersdorf provided a recorded presentation to the second annual Global Nanobiotechnology Consortium Conference, which was held at the University of South Florida on April 22–24. The international meeting focused on advances in nanoelectronics, nanobiotechnology, biosensing, nano-diagnostices, nanoimaging, and other areas related to medicine and pharmaceuticals. Friedersdorf gave a plenary talk on "Nanotechnology: From Buzz Word to Reality" at the TechConnect World Innovation Conference & Expo on June 13–15. In addition, Friedersdorf and NNCO contract staff members Geoff Holdridge and Maria Fernanda Campa attended the Student Leaders Conference, which was co-located with the TechConnect World Innovation Conference & Expo, the Nanotech 2022 Conference & Expo, and the SBIR/STTR Spring Innovation Conference. Friedersdorf and NNCO contract staff member Rhema Bjorkland attended the 2022 EU-U.S. NanoEHS CORs workshop, which took place on June 20–22 in conjunction with the NanoSafety Cluster’s Nano-Week 2022 Conference in Cyprus. |
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UPCOMING EVENTS July 20–21, 2022: Hybrid (Virtual + Lemont, IL) Aug. 18–19, 2022: Berkeley, CA October 19–21, 2022: Singapore |
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In the past couple of years, we haven’t experienced the summer slowdown that we seemed to in years past. Last year, we were busy finalizing the 2021 NNI Strategic Plan, and this year we are busy with its implementation to advance all five goals. We are especially excited about the framing of the National Nanotechnology Challenges. We have seen throughout the pandemic that the mobilization of the nanotechnology community can result in profound impacts—and that the foundational understanding at the nanoscale developed under the NNI over the past two decades, along with the ability to work across disciplines and embrace collaboration, is leading to significant contributions in a wide range of areas. The National Nanotechnology Challenges are intended to harness and focus these attributes to address critical issues. There is considerable interest and excitement across the interagency around the area of climate change. Nanotechnology is already playing an important role in reducing energy use with applications such as dynamic windows that adjust to allow light, but not heat, into a building during the summer, but light and heat during the winter; and coatings that enable more efficient transport of water. Nanomaterial additives are reducing the carbon footprint of concrete, and helping to build a more resilient infrastructure. And nanotechnology is a critical component of green energy technologies such as solar, wind, and the batteries that support these intermittent sources. Nanotechnology will also play a part in carbon capture, sequestration, and use. These are just a few examples of how nanotechnology can help combat climate change and its effects. What else will the nanotechnology community bring to bear to tackle this and other World challenges? I can’t wait to see! Keep your eye on 
Stage 2 of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) 
A new episode from the 
The 2022 EU-U.S. NanoEHS Communities of Research (CORs), a transatlantic collaboration of U.S. and European nanosafety researchers, held their 10th meeting on June 22–23 in Limassol, Cyprus, in conjunction with the NanoSafety Cluster’s 
Every week, NNCO releases an episode from one of 
NNCO Director Lisa Friedersdorf provided a plenary presentation at NanoFlorida, a conference held at the University of Florida on April 16–17. NanoFlorida brought together researchers and industry from all over the state, and sessions focused on nanomaterials, nanochemistry, nanomedicine, nanoelectronics, nanobiomechanics and tissue engineering, nanophysics, nanofluidics, and nanoagriculture.
August 9, 2022: Louisville, KY
