Caring for social complexity in nanomedicine.

Area of Science:

• Science and Technology Studies (STS)
• Biomedical Research
• Nanomedical Research

Background:

• Nanomedical research presents complex social challenges.
• These challenges involve diverse concerns, questions, and interests across different scales (nano, micro, macro) and systems (in vitro, in vivo).
• Understanding and addressing this social complexity is crucial for responsible innovation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine three distinct modes of addressing the social complexity inherent in biomedical and nanomedical research from an STS perspective.
• To analyze how different approaches engage with the multifaceted issues arising in nanomedical development.
• To highlight the shared experimental ethos across these modes when confronting novel nanomedical challenges.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of three modes of 'caring' about social complexity: laboratory experiment and scientific analysis, public expert controversies, and publics.
• Analysis framed within the Science and Technology Studies (STS) perspective.
• Exploration of how these modes engage with nanomedical research issues.

Main Results:

• Identifies three distinct approaches to managing social complexity in nanomedical research.
• Highlights the interconnectedness of nanomedical research with various systems, species, and scales.
• Reveals a common experimental ethos in addressing unresolved nanomedical issues.

Conclusions:

• Effective engagement with nanomedical research requires diverse 'modes of caring' for its social complexity.
• Laboratory analysis, expert controversies, and public engagement represent key strategies.
• An experimental ethos is vital for navigating the uncertainties and developing solutions in nanomedicine.