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| Nanocues Nanocues is a EC funded specified targeted research project (STREP) in the FP6 NMP thematic area. It lies at the border between biotechnology and nanotechnology aiming to create new knowledge and establish new technologies creating a nanobiotechnological platform for a range of industrial and clinical applications. The key ingredients to the project are surface nano and biotechnologies, for the fabrication and characterization of artificial biointerfaces, and stem cell technologies for their versatility of function and potential for new therapeutic application. The 7 partners are placed in 6 different countries and the team has the expertise and vision to become a world leading constellation. Stem Cell Technologies: Stem cells are thought by many to hold the greatest potential for new therapeutic approaches of any technological advance over the next 50 years. The stem cells are able to divide and multiply in number, apparently indefinitely, and provide a source of news cells for the repair and regeneration in vivo. Stem cells are acutely sensitive to their surroundings and to the presence of other cell types and biological molecules and have the ability to change, becoming one of many different cells. The ability of some types of stem cells to become any cell in the body is perhaps their greatest strength, however this property has hampered the study and utilisation of such cells. Surface Nanobiotechologies: Biointerfaces are built up from molecules and macromolecules having nanometer size. The key to building artificial biointerfaces lies in mimicking critical function properties of such interfaces utilizing both manmade material and molecular/macromolecular components from the real biointerface. Using nanoscale engineering to recreate biologically functional interfaces will allow the addition of new artificial functional properties such as integrated solid state sensing components. Nanoscale engineering requires both high resolution fabrication techniques and characterisation tools able to probe the biological and molecular functions. Goals: By creating artificial biointerfaces in a well defined experimental situation it will be possible to study stem cells in a scientific and systematically controlled way. New nanoengineering and nanoscale science, understanding the interactions at the molecular level will open up stem cell technologies for industrial application |
