Nanotechnology's holy grail

Price describes the barriers to achieving the "Holy Grail" of nanotechnology: the ability to control how complex proteins interact. Proteins are organic compounds that perform most of the molecular level functions within the body. People are largely constituted by them and they are involved in their lives in countless ways, ranging from the food they eat to the clothes they wear and even to the pharmaceuticals they use. The importance, role, and potential applications of a protein are largely determined by what it associates with, and these associations cannot be understated--they pervade all of biology and have enormous bearing on developments in medicine, industry and science, especially the emerging field of nanobiotechnology.