Nanotech advocates seek new federal research funds

Leaders in the nanotech field have been beating a path to Congress, asking lawmakers to significantly boost federal support of research into molecular-level advances. Currently, taxpayers fund about $1.5 billion in annual grants to the field. And one lawmaker, Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, is suggesting a low-interest loan program to add to the research money.

While the science of the very small has played a big role in tech research and product development, nanotechnology has also been playing a growing role in biomedical research. A wide array of programs have been looking at new ways to resize doses of medication as well as polymers and thin-films that can play a role delivering a new generation of therapeutics.

The advocates journeying to Washington D.C. may find it tough going in gaining more research money. After several years in the late '90s and the early part of this decade in which lawmakers passed ever larger NIH budgets, the Bush administration has kept a lid on new research spending. Researchers have been harshly critical about the gradual erosion of support.

- read the report in the San Francisco Chronicle

ALSO: Scientists at Edinburgh University announced progress with bacteria-produced nanomagnets that can be used to fight cancer. Adding cobalt made the nanomagnets much stronger, increasing the chances of their effectiveness. Report

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