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Nature 423, 10-12 (1 May 2003) | doi:10.1038/423010a

Open Innovation Challenges

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Cell nanotechnology: The tiny toolkit

Catherine Zandonella1

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Can we probe the workings of cells without destroying them? Yes, says an influential and interdisciplinary group of US researchers — the answer lies in nanotechnology. Catherine Zandonella reports.

As the basic unit of life, the cell gets little respect. When we want to know what is happening inside it, we rip open its membrane and dump out its contents.