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Discussions about nanotechnology and development focus on applications that directly address the needs of the world's poor. Nanotechnology can certainly make an impact in the fight against global poverty, but we need to broaden our imagination.
Increasing globalization means that traditional occupational epidemiological approaches may no longer apply, suggesting a need for an alternative model to assess the long-term impact of nanomaterial exposure on health.
Sequencing methods based on electron tunnelling could lead to breakthroughs in genomics, proteomics and glycomics, but the engineering challenges involved in delivering these devices are formidable.
Nanopores are on the brink of fundamentally changing DNA sequencing. At the same time, DNA origami provides unprecedented freedom in molecular design. Here, I suggest why a combination of solid-state nanopores and DNA nanotechnology will lead to exciting new experiments.
