Biological and Environmental Sciences Directorate

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Nanobiotechnology Initiative

The strategic intent of the Nanobiotechnology Initiative is to identify, coordinate, and advance activities at the interface of biology, nanoscale materials science, chemistry, and computational science. Emerging resources, such as ORNL's Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, will be instrumental in addressing many of the challenges involved in designing, fabricating, and characterizing nanoscale materials. Likewise, rapidly advancing capabilities directed toward genomics and post-genomics science are addressing fundamental questions related to the molecular-scale organization and function of biological systems. The latter two fields share a dependence on high-performance computing and high-resolution structural information.

The overlap between these two seemingly disparate fields, loosely referred to as "nano-bio," actually defines a new scientific theme of growing importance. The rules by which biological systems accomplish organization and function at the nanoscale will provide guiding insight for nanotechnologies. Similarly, the development of nanoscale tools and the understanding of nanoscale phenomena will facilitate comprehension of biological systems. Advancements at the nano-bio interface will directly impact a variety of biomedical applications and further a fundamental understanding of biological systems. New labels and approaches to biological imaging, tools for interfacing to molecular systems, and advanced analytical techniques will result from nanobiotechnology. Likewise, materials and devices that mimic the structure and function of biomolecules and biomolecular systems will revolutionize applied technologies. This initiative is intended to address research opportunities at this interface, strengthen ORNL's growing presence in the field of nanobiotechnology, and integrate the Laboratory's research capabilities and facilities that bear on this theme.