JHU.EDU INST. for NANOBIOTECH's Posts

New nanobiotechnology magazine launched at Johns Hopkins

Posted by JHU.EDU INST. for NANOBIOTECH on May 14, 2010 at 8:25pm

Download a free pdf of the new NanoBio Magazine from Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology.

Click here.

The African-American woman behind ‘HeLa’ cells used in research

Posted by JHU.EDU INST. for NANOBIOTECH on March 5, 2010 at 3:08pm

The cells scientists call “HeLa” have been grown immortally in culture for decades, yet the African-American woman from whom these cells were derived died of cervical cancer at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1951. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, published this month by Crown, tells the story of the young mother of five whose own life could not be saved, but through the use of her undying cells, medical research has achieved enormous progress. Science writer Rebecca Skloot also explores issues of informed consent, race and access to health care in her extensively researched book.

Read interview here.

Induced stem cells perform poorly compared to embryonic counterparts

Posted by JHU.EDU INST. for NANOBIOTECH on March 5, 2010 at 3:06pm

A long term study of human stem cell types has shown that tissue-derived human stem cells performed poorly and are more likely to die prematurely than their human embryo-derived stem cell counterparts.The research, lead by leading stem cell scientist Robert Lanza, M.D., compared the growth and differentiation characteristics of what are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) with those of human embryonic stem cells (hESC). Induced pluripotent stem cells are derived from adult tissue taken from certain organs of the body, including the liver or bone marrow, while hESC are derived from the cell mass of four- to five-day old human embryos. Both are capable of growing into most any organ cell, though iPSC are somewhat limited in the types of cells they can become.

Symphony of Science explores cosmos anew by setting scientists’ words music

Posted by JHU.EDU INST. for NANOBIOTECH on March 5, 2010 at 3:05pm

If the inner workings of a cell inspire you or the vastness of space causes you to ponder human existence, then you’ll probably appreciate the musical endeavors of John Boswell, creator of the popular “Symphony of Science” remixes viewed by millions on YouTube. Boswell has captured the words of scientific giants like Carl Sagan, Stephen Hawking and Richard Dawkins, enhanced them with pitch-correcting electronics, and framed them in his own original compositions—haunting melodies that make listeners swing while considering who we are, where we came from, and where we are going.

Faking science data is no joke, except on TV's Big Bang Theory

Posted by JHU.EDU INST. for NANOBIOTECH on September 23, 2009 at 3:04pm

Research can be frustrating, and researchers can act like real jerks when their experiments fail or don’t produce the expected results. But is this ever a reason to falsify data? The season premier of the popular CBS television show “The Big Bang Theory,” which aired Sept. 21, dealt with the ethics and consequences of faking results.SPOILER ALERT: I am going to discuss the plot of this episode in detail. So if you haven’t seen the show yet and you don't want to know what happens, please come back and read this after you have watched the show.To read the rest of this story, click here.

Where can you study nanobiotechnology?

Posted by JHU.EDU INST. for NANOBIOTECH on August 7, 2009 at 3:30pm

I get this question a lot from people here at Nanopapria.eu. Well, it depends on what sort of degree you are are really after. There are many schools in the United States that offer courses and even degrees in nanotechnology or nanobiotechnology. Please read on to find out more...

A microfluidic device from the lab of Andre Levchenko. [Photo by Will Kirk/JHU]I can only speak for Johns Hopkins University. Johns Hopkins University does not AT THIS TIME offer a specific degree in nanobiotechnology. That is because we consider nanobio to be a multidisciplinary field that requires expertise in at least two fields: medicine and engineering for example or physics and chemistry.I work and study at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland in the USA. Johns Hopkins is probably best known for its School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Hospital. But you can also study engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, biomedical engineering, molecular biology and many more subjects at Johns Hopkins University. We have programs in history, English, art, film, international studies and others also.

Nanobead device used to measure torque on DNA strands from the lab of Sean Sun. [Photo credit: Celedon/JHU]If you want to study nanobiotechnology at Johns Hopkins, you must FIRST be accepted into one of the PhD programs already offered on campus. Most nanobio students are earning doctoral degrees in chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, or medicine. THEN, after you have been accepted, you can come to the Institute for NanoBioTechnology (INBT) and ask about our fellowship programs. Typically these programs are only available to US residents or PERMANENT residents. However, this can change because we receive new grant moneys and start new programs all the time. So it does not hurt to ask.Then you must apply to our fellowships to actually become a nanobio student. Nanobio fellowship students work in TWO different laboratories on campus. They must participate in journal clubs and lab meetings for at least two different lab groups. They will have two faculty advisers. Usually these faculty advisers will come from diverse fields such as engineering or biology. In this way a student becomes an expert in two areas of science.You will still earn a PhD from your primary department, but you will have to take other courses specific to the nanobiotechnology fellowship. You will graduate with a special distinction as an INBT fellow.In addition to our doctoral program, we also have a summer program for undergraduates (bachelors students) and a postdoctoral program in nanotechnology for cancer. But if you are not a resident or citizen, do not let that discourage you. There are many other ways to learn about nanobiotechnology. Students in any department may get special permission to enroll in the nanobio classes offered by INBT. But this is on a case-by-case basis.The first step is to APPLY to Johns Hopkins University in the department you are most interested in.

Nanoparticles used in imaging and drug delivery from the lab of Jeff Bulte. [Photo credit: Bulte/JHU]GOOD LUCK IN YOUR SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT PLACE TO STUDY NANOTECHNOLOGY!You can read more about Johns Hopkins University here.You can read more about the Institute for NanoBioTechnology here.US universities and colleges that offer specific degrees in NANOTECHNOLOGY.

Audio: Science impacts our daily lives, say authors of Unscientific America

Posted by JHU.EDU INST. for NANOBIOTECH on July 28, 2009 at 7:56pm

Here is my review of the book Unscientific America: How scientific illiteracy threatens our future. I have also included an audio interview with the authors. Check it out and let me know what you think about this topic.