Editor's Corner

Balancing the risks and rewards of nanotechnology
In the year ahead we're likely to see considerable new federal regulatory activity in overseeing nanotechnology research. There are legitimate concerns about the proliferation of microscopic particles in the environment. But as our lead story illustrates, there are also some incredibly important new advances in bioresearch that rely on nanotechnology. Working at a nano level, scientists can take biomedical research into radically new directions that can influence how we treat a host of diseases. Cancer is just one of the more obvious disease categories likely to be affected. Regulators will need to remain sensitive to the needs of researchers to avoid unnecessarily slowing research that can save lives. - John Carroll