Nanotechnology for Curing Cancer Inquiry

egregious1

I have always wanted to cure cancers and diseases since my mother had breast cancer a while back, and through my love of science and Engineering-robotics(I was looking at ME to get into robotics at first) I came across nanotechnology. Since I want to use nanomachines to work towards cures and treatments(which is basically research for now), I was wondering what I should major in college. I recently graduated from high school, and I have already found a grad school that specializes in nanotech (college of nanoscale science and engineering) but I am not sure what to accomplish in college to prepare me for nanotech in grad school, since I have not found any schools so far(I live in chicago by the way), that offer nanotech in college. I have looked through different disciplines of science, microbiology, biochemistry, molecular biophysics, and many more, and I have also spoken to many professors, but still have no clear path to accomplish my goals. Any information that someone can provide will be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

WhiteKnights

SUNY Buffalo supposedly has the best Nanotechnology program by far.
Nanotech need MatE,EE,BME..etc.

Future-boy

Hm, i don't know.
I have been searching about this for months now...

Nanobots are still vision unfortunately :(

I mean, "nanotechnology" today is mainly still only about optimization of materials or nanoelectronics.
The most up-to-date things are molecular electronics i think.

http://www.crnano.org/whatis.htm

Did you take a look at (Bio)molecular engineering?



I don't know who is the leading figure in these fields....could be Craig Venter though ;).

Is this guy only a media-attraction or is he really some steps ahead compared to others in his fields?

WhiteKnights

I meant SUNY Albany.
Anyways, I recommend Biomedical Engineering.

egregious1

It is not just for medical purposes, military, as well as other forms of engineering. I do not know if a double major would be best, in biochem or microbio and a form of engineering, or what I should look for. I just feel that nanotechnology and other forms of science and engineering have limitless possibilities that we have yet to really comprehend, and I want to be able to discover, research, and utilize those ideas and concepts to better society, and the world as a whole. Whether it be in weapons, or medically, or in robotics. I just don't know where to start, or what exactly I am looking for. =[ And as for biomolecular engineering, I know a little about it, but have not found much on it. Any links?

WhiteKnights

Then try MIT....I believe they got awarded several billion to build new Armour using nanotechnology from the DoD
Nanotechology is in materials engineering.

egregious1

Yeah I know MIT is an amazing school, but I don't have the grades to get in out of high school. I spent more time doing my own research than I did homework lol. Transferring would be the best I could do to get there, and then there are the expenses. *sigh*

berkeman

No help on chosing a school, but did you see this research area of nanotechnology that is showing strong promise for curing some cancers? Very cool stuff. (And had origins in HAM radio technology, BTW):

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...n3206892.shtml


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egregious1

whoa, I thought of using sound and light waves but I did not think it could be done so quickly lol. Especially since I am just out of high school ='[. I hope there are still things to even cure by time I know how to do it.

muppet

At the open day for what became my university (Durham, UK) I seem to remember being told nanotechnology could be used for drug delivery. Stick something good at killing both cancer cells and people inside an inert shell (possibly gold?), which you get to dismantle somehow when positioned appropriately relative to a lump. Afraid I wasn't savvy to the details at the time, but I hope that opens up some lines of enquiry for you.

egregious1

Very interesting, I know they are already using nanotech for drug delivery but I never really knew how scientists were doing it. Nanorobots would make life so much easier.

Future-boy

Go for a MNT (Molecular Nanotechnology) degree like Drexler.

But i have never found such a course.
You have to arrange the courses yourself i think.

Fearless

I think you should start out as a chemist, then go through either a theoretical chem/materials degree. Although I would recommend the double-degree chemistry with physics at reed college in Oakland. It is prolly the best the US have to offer a nanotech-career that is in the limit of chemistry goes physics, and vice versa.

Vanadium 50

Eric Drexler is not someone to emulate if you want to work in nanotechnology. What has he done? (As opposed to written about)

His PhD was done under the auspicies of the MIT Media Laboratory. Not Biology, not Materials Science, not Biological Engineering (which was called something else back then - probably Applied Biological Science).

streeters

His name sounds like a super-hero. Who else has done that.

Future-boy

Actually, what did he study as bachelor?

Physics?

cmos

Well originally you said you wanted to do nanotech for the purpose of curing cancer. To me this sounds like using technology to solve biomedical problems. Sounds like a no-brainier to me: bio/biomedical engineering.

Electrical engineering is a close second because in there, you can focus on the design and development of nanoscale devices for various applications or in the improvement/evolution of existing technologies by harnessing nanoscale phenomena.

Chemistry and materials science is more fundamental and I feel like the focus there is on how to make/characterize nanomaterials as opposed to direct application. Same goes with physics. With that said, a fundamental understanding of nature goes a long way, especially when navigating uncharted waters.

On a side note, you might want to check out UC San Diego. I believe they recently started a center that focuses on nanotech for cancer treatment.