Phaneuf Set to Teach FDA Scientists

Associate Professor Ray Phaneuf has been invited to teach a course at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on nanotechnology characterization. The course, to be held in spring 2007, covers some of the most powerful techniques in characterizing nanostructures, scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, scanned force microscopies/force spectroscopy and scattering/diffraction techniques. Phaneuf's students will be staff scientists from various divisions of the FDA, including the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, where the course is being taught.

While the curriculum will begin with a review of quantum mechanics to introduce the concepts of tunneling and confinement effects and surface forces, the emphasis will be on state-of-the-art microscopy capabilities, and how these could allow the FDA to address research challenges and solve problems of interest. The FDA is charged not only with testing food and drugs for safety and effectiveness, but also devices used as prostheses or in therapy.

The FDA is already seeing the introduction of nanostructures into devices, and is interested in being able to verify their presence and functionality.

Published February 5, 2007