Dr. Meyya Meyyappan, Chief Scientist for Exploration Technology,
NASA Ames Research Center, USA stated that Nanotechnology applications
are increasingly entering public domain with the nanotechnology IPhone
application being one such example. This application will enable early
detection and monitoring among willing IPhone users, he said. Dr.
Meyyappan elaborated on genechip applications for medical science and
emerging issues in phase change memory in electronics. He stressed the
need for the integration of nano with micro and macro levels.
Prof. Heinrich
Hofmann, of École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne,Switzerland
spoke about supermagnetic nanoparticles as a universal tool for
diagnosis and therapy. Stem cell tracking, biosensors, liver imaging,
blood and water purification were identified as key areas by Prof
Hofmann. MRI applications for liver diagnosis have already been
approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), he added. However,
much research is still needed on behavior of particles in different
organs within the human body, he said.
Prof. Sirirurg Songsivilai, Executive Director, NANOTEC
complimented CoEN and its Director Prof. Joydeep Dutta for providing a
forum for interaction with experts from other parts of the world.
Prof. Gabor (Louis) Hornyak of AIT elaborated on the activities of the
CoEN at AIT which included NanoNose Sensors, self cleaning windows,
zinc oxide nanoparticles and dye sensitized solar cells. Prof. Dutta,
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director CoEN, while welcoming
all participants hoped that such initiatives will help create a
national science hub in Pathumthani. Elaborating on the grant of
International Intergovernmental status to AIT, he stated that this
would facilitate and strengthen AIT’s operations and partnerships. The
forum was followed by a tour of CoEN facilities for all visitors.
A section of the participants at the
Nanotechnology Forum organized at the AIT Conference
Center.