This nanodrug is currently in human trials for the treatment of prostate cancer, but Dr. Chen says it may come to be used to treat a number of cancers. Radiotherapy at the cellular level still produces side effects similar to traditional radiotherapy, like nausea and vomiting, for instance, but these side effects are greatly diminished and toxicity is low.

Driving nanomedicine forward

Chen was in attendance at the 2009 NanoWeek held in April and hosted by the National Institutes of Health at their Bethesda, Md. campus. "The NIH has listed nanomedicine as one of their strategic roadmaps for the next decade," says Chen. "They are very keen on the development of nanomedicine."

The NIH has provided a significant amount of funding toward nanotechnology, including nanomedicine and eight research centers for the development of nanomedicine have been set up across the country. The NIH's strategic roadmap sets the bar for innovations to come.

"The NIH Roadmap Nanomedicine Initiative is one of several initiatives within the NIH Roadmap that is funded by the common fund - not any one institute," explains Richard S. Fisher, Director of Program Planning and Analysis for the initiative. "This represents a small portion of the total NIH investment in nanotechnology."

To learn more about the newest developments in nanomedicine, check out the American Society of Nanomedicine's inaugural conference scheduled to be held October 22-25 at Bolger Center in Potomac, Md.

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