8216;India needs an efficient regulator for nanotechnology8217;

India should have an efficient regulatory body and well defined protocols for dealing with the deployment of nanotechnology,handling,movement and approval of nano products.

India should have an efficient regulatory body and well defined protocols for dealing with the deployment of nanotechnology,handling,movement and approval of nano products. There should be an adequate database on toxicity,said Dr Shantikumar Nair,head of the Kerala-based Amrita Centre for Nanosciences.

Speaking at an exclusive session on nanotechnology and education of the 97th Indian Science Congress on Wednesday,he said : Nano technology is being deployed world over in various sectors like healthcare,food,agriculture,engineering,energy,textiles. India needs to make progress by deploying nanotechnology. Hence we need to set up an efficient regulatory system not only for ensuring safety but also for building up public confidence.

When asked whether the existing regulator for transgenic products Genetic Engineering Approval Committee GEAC was capable to deal with the situation,he said : We need to set up a different regulatory body.

He said that nanotechnology can be used in various areas of healthcare system like making materials with enhanced biological properties like new implants,development of regenerative medicines,cell diagnostics and therapy,tissue engineering,development of antibacterial nana-materials and wound healing nano-materials, development of biosensors with improved sensivity,detection of cancer cells and cancer therapy,drug delivery through nano devices and development of nano vaccines,nano neutraceuticals and nano food. Nano technology can be used for targeting cancer cells,he said.

He informed companies like Dabur Pharma,Biocon and Cromoz were developing nano medicines in India

In healthcare nano forms can be developed as suspensions,encapsulations and aggregates. Aggregates can be two-dimensional tubes or three-dimensional fibres. Nano materials for healthcare can be sourced from synthetics like oxides,sulphides,carbon,metals,polymers or from naturals like proteins,carbohydrates,lipids,fibrin,chitin. Toxicity problem can emerge from materials sourced from synthetics. The xicity of the material depends upon the size and the shape. Smaller the size,lesser the toxicity and more its effectiveness,he said.

According to Dr Nair doctors should apply nonotechnology at the cellular level. Nano devices and medicines should target cell surface receptors. In the case of cancer,they should target cancer stem cells.

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The dean of the Sastra University,Dr S Swaminathan said nano vectors or carriers should be carefully constructed to ensure safe and efficient drug delivery to targeted points in the patients. Nanotechnology can be used for tissue generation also. Dr K George of the National Institute of Inter-disciplinary Science and Technology stressed upon the optical properties of hybrid nano materials.