A Basis for Action - Commission de l'éthique de la science et de la ...

Position Statement of the Commission de l'éthique de la science et de la technologie
Material/technique Property Applications Time-scale (to market
launch)
Drug delivery
Nanoparticles (50-100 nm) Able to penetrate tumor Cancer treatment. Long term.
Nanosizing in the range of
100-200 nm
Polymers
Ligands on a nanoparticle surface
Nanocapsules
Increased particle adhesion
Nanoporous materials
Pharmacy-on-a-chip
pores.
Low solubility.
These molecules can be
engineered to a high
degree of accuracy.
These molecules can be
engineered to a high
degree of accuracy.
Evading body’s
immune system while
directing a therapeutic
agent to the desired site.
Degree of localized
drug retention increased.
Evading body’s immune
system while
directing a therapeutic
agent to the desired site.
Monitor conditions and
regulate and maintain
hormonal balance.
More effective treatment
with existing
drugs.
Nanobiological drug
carrying devices.
Ligands can recognize
damaged tissues and
target drugs to a precise
location.
AIDS and cancer
treatment.
Slow drug release.
Drug-delivering implants
could be
developed.
Diabetes treatment.
Nanoporous membranes Sorting biomolecules. Gene analysis and
sequencing.
Tissue regeneration, growth and repair
Prosthetics
Miniaturization, weight Retinal, auditory, spinal
reduction, increased and cranial implants.
strength, increased
biocompatibility.
Cellular manipulation
ENERGY PROCESSING SECTOR
Manipulation and coercion
of cellular systems.
Persuasion of lost tissue
to grow, growth of
body parts.
Long term.
Long term.
Long term.
Early clinical trials using
Buckyballs in AIDS
treatment.
Long term.
Pre-clinical trials for
treatment of diabetes.
More distant than lab-ona-chip
technologies.
Commercialization
underway.
Most immediate will be
external tissue grafts;
dental and bone replacements;
internal tissue
implants to follow.
6-7 years.
Material/technique Applications Time-scale (to market launch)
Power generation
Polymer materials Solar cells. 5 years.
Combinations of organic and inorganic
molecules
Quantum wells
Nanorods
Solar cells. Photocatalytic water
treatment. Manufacturing process
could be very low cost.
Quantum well solar cells. The
absorption of a large part of the
solar spectrum would increase
the efficiency of solar cells.
These structures can be engineered
to respond to different
wavelengths of solar spectrum.
Low cost solar cells.
Commercialization underway, but
limited. Low energy consumption
applications to enter the market
first.
Pure research.
Long term.
Fuel conversion /storage
Nanostructured catalysts Fuel conversion. Current – 5 years.
Nanotubes
Fuel storage: hydrogen, methane 2-5 years.
for fuel cells.
Nanoparticles Improving battery capacity. Long term.
Nanostructured metallic hydrides Storing hydrogen for fuel cells. 1-5 years
126 Ethics and Nanotechnology:
A Basis for Action