U-M repeatedly has said that it believes the future of academic research involves scientists and engineers from several sectors working together to solve complex problems.

James Baker, CEO of Ann Arbor-based NanoBio Corp. and director of the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Studies, said a multidisciplinary approach is particularly productive with nanotechnology. 

Baker, who is participating in the NAMSE as an individual researcher, shared his thoughts on nanotechnology’s future with AnnArbor.com.

AnnArbor.com: This facility will focus on multidisciplinary research, the intersection between mechanical engineering and nanoscience. Where are the opportunities there?

Baker: There are opportunities in multiple areas, from diagnostics to therapeutics, just really understanding fundamental things about how nano systems work and how to take things that we know work in biology and adapt them to synthetic systems. That’s something that this will be able to do.

AnnArbor.com: Nanoscale manufacturing is one of the areas it’s going to focus on. How can manufacturing benefit from nanotechnology?

Baker: One of the most important things is making things consistently and reproducing them. What nanotechnology can do is allow us to see and understand these materials in a very finite way, so that instead of just hoping they wind up the same, we can actually define whether or not they’re the same.

AnnArbor.com: What will this facility do for the university in terms of its place in the nanotechnology world?

Baker: We’re already one of the top places in the world for this and it’s just going to ensure that in the long term we keep that lead. And we’ll be able to capitalize on translating these things into companies in a more rapid and effective manner.

AnnArbor.com: Is NanoBio collaborating?

Baker: We’re collaborating but not directly right now.

AnnArbor.com: What’s the latest on NanoBio?

Baker: We just finished our Phase 1 trial on our vaccine platform and we’re now talking to other partners about some of our other products, so we’re moving forward very quickly.

We believe that our first drug may be through Phase 3 trials and up for sale by the end of 2012.

AnnArbor.com: I know there’s some concern still about how the FDA’s going to regulate nanotechnology. At this point do you feel like there’s starting to be some certainty there?

Well there is certainty for us because the FDA has decided that our material is too big to be called ‘nanotechnology.’

AnnArbor.com: So that’s a positive in terms of your regulatory hurdles?

Baker: Absolutely. It’s a big positive.

Contact AnnArbor.com's Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com. You can also follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's newsletters.