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The workshop included the participation of several entrepreneurs coming from science and technology who presented their current projects. Among them, Prof. Puntes gave a short talk on his experience in the generation of tech-based start-up companies, and particularly on his new project BiogasPLUS – that is based on a patent from our group.

Further details and program here:

http://www.irec.cat/noticies-irec/jornada-qenergia-y-emprendimiento-de-la-investigacion-a-la-creacion-de-empresasq.html

The Gaceta Médica article (in Spanish) was published on April 25, 2013: “Las AuNPs reducen la toxicidad de los quimioterápicos sobre células sanas”.

http://www.gacetamedica.com/noticias-medicina/articulo.aspx?idart=747053&idcat=793&tipo=2

The Diario Médico article (in Spanish) was published on April 29, 2013: “La nanotecnología usa metal precioso con fin biomédico”

http://biotecnologia.diariomedico.com/2013/04/29/area-cientifica/especialidades/biotecnologia/investigacion/nanotecnologia-usa-metal-preciosofin-biomedico

At this major event, seven conferences took place in parallel, as well as a vast exhibition, one-to-one meetings and an industrial forum. ImagineNano gathered the global nanotechnology community, including researchers, industry policymakers and investors.

In this framework, Prof. Puntes was invited on a double feature. First, to give the talk “Detoxifying Antitumoral Drugs via Nanoconjugation: The Case of Gold Nanoparticles and Cisplatin” at the NanoBioMed conference. And secondly, to give a dissemination talk for the general public within the Societal Activities of ImagineNano: “Nanoparticles before nanotehcnology (cosmogenic, geogenic, biogenic and -unnoticed- antropogenic origin)”. Both talks took place on April 24.

NanoBioMed program and info: http://www.imaginenano.com/SCIENCE/Scienceconferences_BioNanoMed.php

Societal Activities program and info: http://www.imaginenano.com/SOCIETY/Society_Imaginenano.php

Acknowledging the fact that nanoparticles existed before “nanotechnology” as such entered our mindsets, is very important to properly understand and handle nanomaterials, particularly in today’s debates on nanomaterials regulation: what is a nanomaterial? How and when should be labelled, regulated and tested?

Additionally, to bring nano closer to society, a long-time running aim of NanoWiki, the ebook presents some hands-on experiments, that can easily show nanoscale phenomena to the general audience.

The book was developed with the participation of Josep Saldaña and Joan Escofet from the NanoWiki team, through support from ICN, NanoAraCat and the CNBSS. The images that ilustrate the book are as always the result of scientific work with transmission and scanning electron microscopies, this time mainly onto self assembled monolayers of cobalt nanoparticles (also gold and different oxides). But this year, many of the images come from the “Nano Forest”, an impressive 3D virtual world based on these images, created in SecondLife by collective HaxGrot (Ux Hax, Maria Grot and Romi Nayar in collaboration with Lanjran Choche).

The other previous ebooks on the NanoWiki series were ‘Balancing the promises’ (2010) and ‘Engines On’ (2011). You can find more information in our section devoted to the NanoWiki project.

The work was prepared jointly with a long-time collaborator on the topic, Prof. Antoni Sanchez from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, together with Dr. Cecilia López and invaluable input form Dr. Eudald Casals, who is an expert on the matter. It overviews the basic principles behind the application of nanostructures, and then goes into the environmental issues, such as nanoparticle ecotoxicity and the use of nanomaterials for environmental remediation. The aim of the article was to explain these matters to general non-expert audience, as part of our efforts to contribute to the dissemination of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

López, C., Sánchez, A., & Puntes, V. F. Nanopartículas inorgánicas. Riesgos y beneficios ambientales. Investigación y Ciencia, 437 – February, 12–14 (2013).

http://www.investigacionyciencia.es/investigacion-y-ciencia/numeros/2013/2/nanopartculas-inorgnicas-10803

(in Spanish)

In the article entitled “We will be able to determine whether one has cancer using breath” (“Amb l’alè es podrà saber si un té càncer de pulmó”), Prof. Puntes and journalist Lluís Martínez started discussing about nanotechnology, then moving to science in general, its promises and limits for the future.

Link to the online version of the article (in Catalan): http://www.elpuntavui.cat/noticia/article/2-societat/15-ciencia/600311-amb-lale-es-podra-saber-si-un-te-cancer-de-pulmo.html

[Download PDF]

Photo by Josep Losada (El Punt Avui)

Víctor Puntes was interviewed by Pedro Riba in his show “Tierra de Sueños”, which is broadcast by several channels on TV (25TV) and internet, on October 25, 2012. The interview covered many dissemination aspects of nanotechnology and science in general, and it was aired on October 27 at 21:15.

A recording of the interview can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hsne2Jur-k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqHmr76Ht-E

Our participation in the exhibition included:

• The preparation of exhibition materials and devices using nanoparticles and explaining their features.
• The design of experiments and preparation of materials for the educational activities on Nanotechnology carried out by CosmoCaixa: hands-on experiments for high school students and lab exhibitions for the general public.
• Dissemination talks by Prof. Víctor Puntes:

Discovering the nanoworld – October 17, 19h CosmoCaixa Barcelona

Who are we? Where we come from? Where we go to? – November 14, 19.30h, CaixaForum Palma

Discovering the nanoworld – December 4, 19.30h, CosmoCaixa Madrid

Enjoy!

Prof. Víctor Puntes recently participated in a round table discussion on “Safety and Society”, as an invited panelist at NanoFormulation 2012, an event organized by the EU-FP7 Project InForm.

The event took place in Barcelona, Spain, on May 30, 2012.