It's a Small World: Nanotechonology & Medicine April 21, 2008

Imagine a small machine capable of maneuvering through the body's intricate immune systems to deliver a drug to a particular cell. Now imagine that machine is 1/10,000 the size of a human hair.

That's the idea behind nanomedicine. Using a combination of biology and engineering on the nanoscale to deliver novel solutions to emerging medical issues. Imagine a small device able to deliver insulin directly to the pancreas or help regenerate tissue in the brain. The potential is off the charts.

Dr. Desai of UCSF will discuss the intersection of biology and engineering. The research could lead to targeted drug delivery, even tissue engineering. This could have dramatic implications for a wide range of "new" diseases, from MS & Alzheimers to Type II diabetes. Take a virtual tour of the nanomedicine world using Nanomission (www.nanomission.org).

Dr. Desai will also discuss her advocacy of women in science, specifically discussing her own experience in a traditionally male dominated field.

You can listen to Tejal discuss Nanomedicine in her Exploratorium small talk (www.exploratorium.edu/ti/podcasts/smalltalk.php) or UCSF Science Cafe Podcast (www.ucsf.edu/sciencecafe/2007/desai.html).

Free.

Official Website: http://www.sciencecafesf.com