Nanomaterials and medicine, the building blocks towards an ... · Enhanced human Nanomedicine, enabling biotechnologies (gene editing, iPSC and stem cells, targeting Nano-safety,

Nanomaterials and medicine, the building

blocks towards an enhanced human?

Format of the session: World café – its rules

• Forum for creative and open thinking (not problem solving)• Small/medium groups around a table, discussing open-ended question(s)• Notes and drawings made by participants on paper tablecloths

(encouraging everyone’s contribution and connect diverse perspectives).

Format of the session: World café – its rules

• Each panel speaker acting as “table host” to facilitate and guidediscussion (+ relaying key insights from last round of conversation)

Attendees = Speakers

• Switch tables after 14 min to get the chance to discuss all sub-topics (70 min)

• Final wrapping-up discussion (10-15 min)

“Talking stick”

Panel speakers

Dr C. Bussy, The University of Manchester, UK

G. Dorthe, University of Lausanne, Switzerland

Key words: biology; toxicology; biomedical engineering; bio-materials; biocompatibility; nanomaterials; nanosafety;

Keywords: transhumanist movement; philosophy; ethnography; Science, Technology & Society; Nanotechnology and Society;

Dr S. Lacour, National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), ENS Cachan, France

Key words: law & regulation; Nanoscience and Society; nanoscience & nanotechnology; Norms, Science and Technology;

Key words: physical chemistry; interface engineered nanomaterials & environment; toxicology ; nanomaterials; nanoparticle-protein corona; translation science to policy ; risks/benefits of nanotechnologies.

Prof I. Lynch, University of Birmingham, UK

Dr M. Mazza, The University of Manchester, UK

Key words: nanomedicine; pharmacy; drug delivery; gene therapy; brain central nervous system; soft nanomaterials; carbon-based materials; cancer; biomedical imaging

Apologies from

Nano-materialsMedicine

Enhanced human Nanomedicine, enabling

biotechnologies (gene editing, iPSC and stem cells, targeting

delivery), gene therapy Nano-safety, toxicology, biocompatibility, safer-by-design,

Philosophy and societal perspectives, Transhumanism movement

Bio-materials, biomedical engineering, medicinal chemistry,

enabling nanotechnologies, 3D printing

Laws and policies regulating technologies and nanotechnologies

Enhancing the human – Replacing “defects”

Repairing human …

…. Without removing human-ity

Current Topical Research Interests

In Europe, two flagship projects, one unintended goal ?

Where ends the human and begins the machine ?

Human evolution

Current …..

…..Future ?

A- According to you, transhumanism is:

1. - the very nature of humanity, to transcend itself through research and innovation

2. - a new situation for humanity due to bio- and nano- technology, enabling the manipulation of life itself

3. - a set of ideas promoted by people belonging to the public of science and technology, stating that science and technology should be encouraged, and could open new possibilities for humanity at large

B- Which aspects of scientific research and/or technology allow us to talk of transhumanism today?

1. - control of fire in order to cook food, silex and tools for hunting

2. - writing, reading, printing, and communicating abilities

3. - capacity to intervene on the building blocks of the matter and the living

4. - fast progress in robotics and prosthetics

C- What could be the risks of a transhumanist society, in the future?

1. - creating new inequalities among people benefiting this progress, and others (i.e. healthy life extension for rich people)

2. - turning humans into hybrids of flesh and machine

3. - the end of humanity as we know it (replacement of humans by machines). Are we able to think a world without humanity?

Philosophy - society - transhumanism

D- You believe a nano-regulation should be adopted:1. - At the level of States2. - At European or regional level3. - In international treaties4. - In research laboratories5. - It is not helpful

E- According to you, Nano-regulation should focus more:1. - Fundamental research, as everything starts from there2. - Technological developments3. - Applications placed on the market4. - All these activities5. - None of these activities

F- Do you think it might be useful to mandate better information for citizens on all nanomaterials development dimensions? 1. - By organizing regular public debates2. - The dissemination of information by public authorities3. - The labeling of products containing nanomaterials4. - Those interested can already find information, it's enough

G- Do you think there should be a mandatory training for ethical and societal issues for scientists working on nanomaterials?1. - During their studies2. - In return for the public funding they receive to conduct their research3. - Encouraging them to participate in public debates4. - They are smart enough to you to make them naturally trust

H- Nanomaterials can be used for the treatment of incapacitating or incurable diseases. If the research that led to these products have been financed with public money, do you think they should:1. - Be owned by universities to fund future research2. - Be the property of researchers to reward them for their achievements3. - Be owned by private companies, which alone are capable of putting on the market4. Be placed in the public domain so that their operating costs are ridiculous

I- The regulation of nanotechnology is interested today mainly to health and environmental risks (toxicological risks) and consumer information (labeling requirements). Do you think this is enough? If not, why ?

J- France has set up a legal obligation to report annually nanomaterials that are manufactured, imported and marketed in its territory. Denmark and Belgium have adopted similar regulations. Do you think the rules should be extended to all European countries? If not, why ?

Regulations – policies - Nanotechnologies

K. Nanomedicine based therapy is already used in clinics, from guided delivery of drugs to cure cancer to genetic manipulation for neurodegenerative disorders, and it is quickly paving the way for biomedical enhancement.

Is the pursuit of advances in the treatment of diseases a way to seek perfection? or a more human, emotion-driven mean to improve our lives?

L. Polymeric nanowires can be injected in the brain allowing the exchange of information between neurons and a computer (Liu, J. et al. Nature Nanotechnol. (2015)) .

Should these type of technologies be exploited as enabling biotechnologies for the treatment of disabling diseases (eg. Parkinson, stroke)?

M. Gene editing (CRISPR/Cas9)

What is your position ?

Nanomedicine – enabling Nano-Bio-Technologies

Nanomaterials – electronics for biological purpose

N - Many experimental results point to the possibility of using graphene (the atomically thin material discovered in Manchester) as the basis for biocompatible implants, for example to build an artificial retina, or to interface with prosthetics.

- How realistic do you think this is ? and why ?

O - Nanoelectronics offers many avenues for progress in the area of implanted electronics. For example, nanowires are promising building blocks for applications including sensing, photonics, energy conversion, and devices capable of logical functions acting on biological functions.

- Would you accept to be implanted with devices containing a complex nanoelectronics circuitry interacting with your body ?

P - Thanks to nanotechnology, the medical sector is about to exploit the strengths of the semiconductor and information storage industries: miniaturization and integration. One major example are novel biomedical diagnostic platforms called "lab-on-a-chip".

- Being so small and sensitive to even study single molecules, do you agree with the proliferation of such platforms, as external devices ? As implants ?

General questions

1- How do you feel about the use of materials technology for disease treatment?

A. - very positive in all situationsB. - positive in situations where no alternative existsC. - somewhat positive under specific circumstances (e.g. experimental trials)D. - somewhat concerned that we don't know enough yet about issuesE. - very concerned about safety and ethics

2- In the following list, select the issue in the application of materials/technologies in medicine that concerns you most:

A. - safetyB. - ethicsC. - regulationD. - patient choiceE. - patient information

3- Do you think the issues are the same for different applications? Rank these options in order of your lowest to highest concern:

A. - generic engineering of cellsB. - tissue engineering (e.g. growing a replacement organ)C. - disease diagnosis (e.g. cancer, Parkinson's)D. - advanced humanE. - materials that can detect and respond to disease autonomously (stimuli-responsive)- disease treatment (e.g. cancer, Parkinson's)

4- Has your opinion about the use of materials technology changed based on the discussions held here today?

A. - much more positive towards materials technology for medicineB. - somewhat more positiveC. - no change in opinionD. - somewhat more concerned about the issueE. - much more concerned about the use of materials technology for medicine

Paper “tablecloth”:Comments, draw, doodle, wordle

Social media:@ESOF16 ; #ESOF16; #humenhanced

To continue the discussion - Email: [email protected]

Nanomaterials and medicine,

the building blocks towards

an enhanced human?

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NNFLPL2

Nanomaterials and medicine: the building

blocks toward an enhanced human?

Speaker Name: Prof. Iseult Lynch

Speaker Affiliation: University of Birmingham

Session Organiser information: Dr. Cyrill Bussey

Associate Editor

Lecture on Environmental Sciences

- From molecules to materials (1st year undergrad)- Environmental Pollution (2nd year undergrad)- Environmental Protection (3rd year undergrad)

Professor of Environmental Nanosciences

- Proposed NP-protein corona (Cozzerelli prize, 2007) - Study the interface between materials and biomolecules - Applications in medicine, environment & agriculture

Responsible Research & Innovation

Science 2015;350:388-389

http://www.nature.com/nnano/journal/v11/n3/pdf/nnano.2015.341.pdf