Mohammad Tavakoli4th Mini-Seminar in Physiology of Brain &

CognitionInstructor: Dr. Gharibzadeh

Spring 2008

Atomic Technology: Concerning Energy

Biotechnology & Stem Cells: Concerning Life & Health

IT: Concerning Information

Nanotechnology: Concerning Very Small Things ;)

How small would it be? Millimeter: ▪ Wavelength of microwaves

Micrometer: ▪ One millionth of a meter

Nanometer:▪ One thousand millionth of a meter

Angstrom: ▪ Hundred-millionth of a centimeter or 10-10 meter▪ Wavelength of light: 400 to 700 nanometers or .4-.7

Å

Submicroscopic things and phenomenon are not visible in analytical manner! Brownian motion in fluids -> Chaotic Environment

So What? Computational Science

Prof. Rafii-Tabar (IPM) Simplification & Idealization Numerical Modeling (Abstract) & Computer

Simulation Supercomputers & Parallel Processing Physics of Nanotechnology: 10-15 sec. & 10-7 -10-9

m.

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) IBM (1980) Simulations @ IBM website, e.g. Nano-tubes

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) Seeing like a blind person

Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy The technique used here is same as MRI Academic researches

In AFM, a sharp probe is scanned across a surface, left, and by monitoring the motion of the probe from each pass across the surface, a 2-D line profile is generated.

Then the line profiles are combined to create a three dimensional image of the surface, right.

Quantum: Gaussian Wein2K Spresso GPMD

Molecular Dynamics: NAMD

Visualization: AVS VMD (Visual Molecular Dynamics)

Nanomagnetic Structures for Atomic Resolution MRI Nanowire-based sensor for

ultra-high sensitivity magnetic resonance force microscopy

Amplification of magnetic flux in magnetic resonance by magnetic nanoparticles that promises to significantly improve MRI performance

Problem 1: In 2001 a patient in a British hospital died of

heart failure shortly after being given an MRI brain scan!

Solution: “Nano-coated implants cut MRI scan

dangers” 2003Problem 2:

How can we improve the MRI resolution? Solution: Contrast Agents What can Nanotechnology do here?

Solution: Superparamagnetic contrast agents (e.g. iron

oxide nanoparticles) have become available. These agents appear very dark on T2*-

weighted images and may be used for liver imaging - normal liver tissue retains the agent, but abnormal areas (e.g. scars, tumors) do not.

They can also be taken orally, to improve visualization of the gastrointestinal tract, and to prevent water in the gastrointestinal tract from obscuring other organs (e.g. pancreas).

The End