Nanotechnology

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Looking at the ethics of technology for a New Millennium

NANOTECHNOLOGY

Nano-what ...?

Nanotechnology is a popular label given to a wide range of ultra-small scale technologies which result from the ability to measure and manipulate matter at an atomic, molecular or cellular level. Strictly speaking it is a misnomer because it is not one thing but plural - nanotechnologies. These encompass some existing science, like the surface chemistry of the small particles used in sunscreen and colloidal materials like milk. They offer new materials and devices. Nanotechnologies could take a miniaturising process like printed circuits still further.

At the atomic level, remarkable new properties emerge, for good or ill. There is a need to test for any adverse health or environmental effects of nano-scale particles for example. New things could also be done - such as constructing devices from atoms upwards, diagnostic devices to monitor body processes, means speed up genetic analysis so that a GP could see immediately from a blood sample what genetic dispositions you may have, particles to travel through the bloodstream to deliver a specific dose of chemical to destroy a particular cancerous cell, making therapeutic implants in the body, etc. Much of this is futurologists' speculation because a lot of the science is still at the stage of basic research. But the implications are far-reaching.

SRT and Nanotechnology Ethics

Following our long established practice, SRT is engaging with the scientific community with various initiatives at the cutting edge, as the research unfolds and applications slowly begin to emerge. SRT is on the Advisory Board of the Stirling-based Institute of Nanotechnology, which hosted the recent conference on Edinburgh 'Nanotechnology and the Health of the EU Citizen in 2020' at which Dr Bruce spoke (see below). Dr Bruce is also on the advisory board of the UK-German-Swss Nanologue programme on public dialogue on nanotechnology.

Dr Bruce is a member of the ethics board of the EC Nano2Life European Network of Excellence on Nano-biotechnology. Dr Bruce was the lead author of the board's scoping paper on the ethics of nanobiotechnology which he presented to the annual meeting of the Nano2Life programme in Munster in Germany in March 2005. This paper was very well received by the scientists in the programme who said it had made them think in new ways about their work.

SRT is a partner in NanoBioRaise an EC research programme on the ethical and societal dimensions of nanobiotechnology under the Science and Society section of the 6th Framework, which is due to begin this autumn - more in due course.

SRT Speaking on Nanotechnology

SRT put on public events at the 2005 Edinburgh Science Festival (April 4) 'Remaking Humans the Implications of Nanotechnology' and the BA Festival of Science in Dublin (September 6) 'Should we Enhance Ourselves: Does Nanotechnology have Limits?'. Dr Bruce has been an invited speaker on ethics at international conferences on nanobiotechnology in Munster (Germany) and Nice (France) and Edinburgh at EuroNanoForum (September 8) 'Can nanotehnology make humans better?' (Click for a brief Abstract. Dr Bruce wriote an article for the 11 June 2005 New Scientist on 'Making the world better' See a recent SRT summary article on Ethics and Nanomedicine, prepared as part of an input to the recent EC vision paper on the strategic research agenda on nanomedicine entitled 'European Technology Platform on Nanomedicine', to which he was a contributing author.

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This page was last updated on 31 May 2006