Welcome to More FACT than FICTION.
This past week I had a break from my usual busy schedule. It’s important to get away from time to time, even if you don’t actually go anywhere. So long as you can put the routine of work and daily life to the side and give yourself a chance to rest and relax, it’s as good as a get away.
I’ve been putting the finishing touches on my new writing studio. It’s in a beautiful, peaceful place. I hope to hone my skills as a writer and create some great novels there. As a new writer I have a lot to learn, I am the first to admit that my ‘Newbe Naive Style’ although I’d thought it to be refreshingly different; will need polishing; a Shakespeare, Hemmingway or H.G.Wells I am not yet! But I’m working on it.
I’ve also had a chance to catch up on my reading. I like to keep up to date on what the Australian Government is doing to support, research scientists, universities and business; specifically for Nanotechnology and Biotechnology. The Australian Government knows the value of such technologies, and has always (thank the universe) got one strategy or another in place to deliver that support and encouragement.
As at the 13 May 2009 the Australian Government has put a new four year National Enabling Technologies Strategy (NETS) in place. As they put it: ‘To provide a framework for the responsible development of enabling technologies such as biotechnology, nanotechnology and other new technologies as they emerge in Australia. (I will put the links to the Australian Government, Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. at the end of the page, you may like to visit – it’s worth a look.
To give you a glimpse of how important Nano and Bio Technologies are for humanity, I’ve included this article by the BBC. It’s just one of the myriad of incredible applications these technologies hold for human health. It’s exciting! This article shows how brilliantly both of these technologies can work together.
Nano-treatment to torpedo cancer
Nanotechnology has been used for the first time to destroy cancer cells with a highly targeted package of "tumour busting" genes.
The technique, which leaves healthy cells unaffected, could potentially offer hope to people with hard-to-treat cancers where surgery is not possible.
Although it has only been tested in mice so far, the researchers hope for human trials in two years.
The UK study is published online by the journal Cancer Research.
“ We hope this therapy will be used to treat cancer patients in clinical trials in a couple of years ”
Dr Andreas Schatzlein
School of Pharmacy, LondonThe genes were wrapped up in microscopic nano-particles which were taken up by cancer cells, but not their healthy neighbours.
Once inside, the genes stimulated production of a protein which destroys the cancer.
The researchers say the technology could potentially be particularly relevant for people with cancers that are inoperable because they are close to vital organs.
They hope it will eventually also be used to treat cancer that has spread.
'Exciting step'
Lead researcher Dr Andreas Schatzlein, from the School of Pharmacy in London, said: "Gene therapy has a great potential to create safe and effective cancer treatments but getting the genes into cancer cells remains one of the big challenges in this area.
"This is the first time that nanoparticles have been shown to target tumours in such a selective way, and this is an exciting step forward in the field.
"Once inside the cell, the gene enclosed in the particle recognises the cancerous environment and switches on. The result is toxic, but only to the offending cells, leaving healthy tissue unaffected.
"We hope this therapy will be used to treat cancer patients in clinical trials in a couple of years."
Traditional chemotherapy indiscriminately kills cells in the affected area of the body, which can cause side effects like fatigue, hair loss or nausea.
It is hoped that gene therapy will have fewer associated side effects by targeting cancer cells.
Dr Lesley Walker, of the charity Cancer Research UK, said: "These results are encouraging, and we look forward to seeing if this method can be used to treat cancer in people.
"Gene therapy is an exciting area of research, but targeting genetic changes to cancer cells has been a major challenge.
"This is the first time a solution has been proposed, so it's exciting news."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7935592.stm
Published: 2009/03/10 16:52:02 GMT
© BBC MMIX
This will take you to the NETS page with information and other links. Such as the Australian office of Nanotechnology and Biotechnology: www.innovation.gov.au/Industry/Nanotechnology/Pages/NationalEnablingTechnologiesStrategy
To read pages of ‘Infinity 48’ please visit: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Nz_d2VHhWpMC&lpg=PP1&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=&f=false
To purchase your copy of ‘Infinity 48’ please visit: www.infinity48.com
Bye for now, and good thinking.
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