Imaging, Nuclear Targeting and Modulation of DNA Damage Responses by Polyfunctionalized Nanoparticles in Tumour Cells

看小想大-什么是纳米技术？纳米技术的定义之一是：通过在纳米尺度（原子、分子和大分子尺度）上对尺寸和形状的控制操作，对结构、器件和系统进行设计、表征、生产和应用，生产出具有至少一种新颖/上级特性或性能的结构、器件和系统。还有很多其他的定义，以及一些混乱的纳米技术到底是什么意思。简而言之，我们可以说纳米技术是一门关于人造材料的科学，这些材料比人类头发的厚度小一千到一万倍。的？人造的？这是重要的，因为否则所有的天然分子和材料颗粒都必须包括在内。同样重要的是，这些小块的材料可以获得非常不寻常和独特的特性，而不是在较大的块中发现。我们的研究试图利用旧材料的这些新特性来改善癌症患者的健康前景。我们将改变我们实验室制造的微小金和铂球的表面特性，使它们能够找到、进入和标记癌细胞，以便X射线机和其他用于诊断程序的扫描仪更好地看到它们。它们还将有能力放大用于治疗肿瘤的辐射的效果，并摧毁癌细胞对辐射的防御。这是否意味着小总是美丽的？不尽然尽管这些新的微小纳米粒子可以获得令人满意和有用的独特特性，但它们的新特性也可能是意想不到的有害的。我们将在正常人体细胞中研究这些潜在的有害影响，因此我们可以选择对癌细胞具有最有效影响的颗粒，同时对周围正常细胞的危害最小。

Looking small thinking big - what is nanotechnology? One of the definitions of nanotechnology describes it as:?The design, characterization, production, and application of structures, devices, and systems by controlled manipulation of size and shape at the nanometer scale (atomic, molecular, and macromolecular scale) that produces structures, devices, and systems with at least one novel/superior characteristic or property.? There are quite a few other definitions as well and some confusion about what nanotechnology really means. In simple terms we can say that nanotechnology is a science of small bits of man-made materials that are about thousand to ten thousand times smaller than the thickness of human hair. The ?man-made? is important because otherwise all natural molecules and material particles would have to be included. What is also important is that these small bits of material can gain very unusual and unique properties, not found in the bigger pieces. Our research is trying to exploit these new qualities of the old materials to improve the health prospects of cancer patients. We shall change the surface properties of tiny gold and platinum spheres made in our laboratory in such a way that will allow them to find,enter and mark cancer cells so X-rays machines and other scanners used in diagnostic procedures can better see them. They will also have the ability to amplify the effects of radiation used for treating tumours and to knock-down cancer cell defences against it. Does it mean then that small is always beautiful? Not really. As much as these new tiny nanoparticles can gain the unique properties that are desirable and useful, in the same way their new qualities can be unexpectedly harmful. We shall investigate these potentially harmful effects in normal human cells, so we can select the particles that would have the most potent effects on the cancer cells whilst being the least harmful to surrounding normal cells.