Gene Therapy Oversight: Lessons for Nanobiotechnology

Abstract

Nanotechnology is the “next small thing” in technological innovation. Spanning a range of science and engineering disciplines, nanotechnology will dramatically alter products and processes upon which we currently rely and promises significant advances in technology. Federal agencies taking part in the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) have attempted to articulate a suitable definition for nanotechnology. The NNI definition refers to “[r]esearch and technology development at the atomic scale, molecular or macromolecular levels, in the length scale of approximately 1-100 nanometer range[; creating] and using of structures, devices and systems that have novel properties and functions because of their small size and/or intermediate size[; and the ability] to control or manipulate at the atomic scale.” Nanotechnology thus refers to material engineered or altered at the nanoscale, in order to take advantage of unique properties that emerge at that scale.