ACADEMIC COMMENT: Nanotechnology and Life Sciences

FEATURE: Interview

1. What is the benefit of using nanomaterials? 

 
Facile synthetic routes to sensors are available in the nano area and therefore this is an attractive option.  As Nature bases many of its successful biomaterials around nano phase separation, it is an important target of biomimetics to learn from this and copy this concept.

 
2. What factors do you envisage that will allow for the transition from concept to product? 

 
I believe that the development of more straightforward and reliable bottom-up fabrication processes will be the key to this.  At the moment, many of these processes are quite complex, and hence costly, and only really practical on a small scale.  Improved synthetic route will help, but also better control of processes such as self assembly.

 
3. What applications are anticipated in the next 3-5 years?

 
It very much depends on the area.  In the field of thin film sensors, the basic science is already there and it is simply a case of incorporating this into practical systems.  In the case of more complex smart systems, it will take much longer. Some application areas already have the basic building blocks in place, while much more research is needed to bring others to fruition.
 

Interview with Prof. John N Hay, Head of School . School of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, University of Surrey