POLICY NEWS

March 200524

An international project ‘Novel and

Improved Nanomaterials, Chemistries

and Apparatus for Nano-Biotechnology’

or NACBO is to be coordinated by the

University of Kent, UK. It will bring

together research institutes with key

European companies and governmental

agencies. The main aim is the

establishment and maintenance of a

European centre of excellence in

nanobiotechnology. Funding of

�15.6 million for the first five years

will come from the European Union

(�8 million), China (�0.5 million), and

European industry (�7.1 million).

It is essential that Europe is

recognized for its scientific skills and

excellence, as well as providing

competition and a direct challenge to

the dominance of the US, believes Ian

Bruce, professor of nanobiotechnology

at the University of Kent.

Research will focus on the creation of

novel drug treatments using

structured nanocomposite particles,

improved medical diagnostic systems,

and materials and methodologies for

use in forensic science, public health,

and welfare. It will also include

activities directly related to

toxicological and safety issues

surrounding nanomaterials.

Participants include Philips, Degussa,

Genetix, and Savyon; the UK Health

Protection Agency; Criminalpol, the

Istituto Superiore di Sanità, and the

University of Urbino in Italy; the East

China University of Science and

Technology in Shanghai; The Hebrew

University Jerusalem and Bar-llan

University in Tel Aviv; and Moscow’s

Shemyakin Ovchinnikov Institute of

Bioorganic Chemistry.

“Collaboration on this scale is relatively

unknown in America, whereas in

Europe the benefits are widely

acknowledged,” says Bruce.Mark Telford

Centering onnanobiotechFUNDING

IP2IPO, an intellectual property

company that commercializes

technology from various UK

universities, has acquired Techtran

Group, the sole technology transfer

partner of the University of Leeds, for

�29 million. This follows IP2IPO’s

investment of �3 million in Techtran

last July in return for a 20% stake.

The university and IP2IPO are also

discussing the establishment of a

�7 million venture capital fund for spin-

outs. The Techtran team will remain at

the Leeds Innovation Centre adjacent

to the university campus, with chief

executive, Alan Aubrey, and chief

operating officer, Alison Fielding, taking

a seat on the IP2IPO Board. “The

combination of such a complementary

skillset will provide… access to the

financial muscle that will help to take

spinout companies right through to

public offering,” says Aubrey. Mark Telford

Fuel cellcollaborationCOMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT

Nanosys has agreed a collaboration to

incorporate its nanostructure

technology into Sharp’s high-

performance fuel cells for use in

portable consumer electronics.

“Sharp’s expertise and success in the

development and commercialization of

portable electronics and renewable

energy products makes them an

excellent collaborator for Nanosys,”

said Calvin Chow, chief executive officer

of Nanosys.

The higher energy density of small fuel

cells in comparison with batteries

could lead to longer operational times

and meet the power demands of next-

generation portable electronics. Mark Telford

IP2IPO tocommercializeuniversity IPACQUISITION

Europe to launch X-ray laser FACILITIES

Nine countries (France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland,Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK) have agreed aMemorandum of Understanding to prepare the ground for agovernmental agreement on the construction and operationof an European X-ray laser research facility (XFEL, whereFEL stands for free-electron laser). The process will include working out detailed proposals fortime schedules and financing schemes, the futureorganization structure, the exact technical design, and laseroperation. The nine countries, together with observers fromDenmark, Hungary, the Netherlands, Russia, Slovakia, andthe European Union, have formed an international steeringcommittee to coordinate preparations.Based on a recommendation by the German Science Council,the German federal government decided in February 2003 toinitiate XFEL as a joint European project at the DeutschesElektronen Synchrotron (DESY) in Hamburg. The facilityshould start operation in 2012 at a cost of �908 million, tobe borne jointly by the partner countries. XFEL will generate brilliant, ultra-short X-ray pulses withlaser-like properties and offer new structural researchconditions for materials, geological, and life sciences.Industrial users will have the opportunity to use the facilityto develop new materials. Researchers will be able to ‘film’molecular and atomic processes and take snapshots ofatomic details of materials and biomolecules. Mark Telford

UK plans for neutron source FACILITIES

Lord Sainsbury, the UK Minister for Science and Innovation, hascommissioned the Council for the Central Laboratory of the ResearchCouncils (CCLRC) to provide strategic advice on ensuring continuedlong-term access for the UK research community to world-classneutron scattering facilities. Such facilities give detailed informationabout the microscopic structure and dynamic behavior of atoms withina wide range of materials.The CCLRC’s first step is to initiate a nationwide consultation with thescientific community in academia and the private sector. There arethree main themes: the science case for continued access toneutrons, the technology roadmap for next-generation neutronsources, and opportunities for collaboration. The CCLRC also wants toexplore the ‘state of preparedness’ of UK industry to respond to theengineering challenges involved in supplying the key technologies. “We want to hear from all scientists who see the potential a next-generation neutron source could bring, whether or not they currentlyuse neutrons to carry out their materials research,” said David Schildt,executive director of the CCLRC.An independent consultation steering group has been appointed, whichwill be chaired by Sir John Enderby, president of the UK’s Institute ofPhysics and former director of the neutron facility Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, France. A report will be published this summer. Mark Telford