New nanotechnology centre for NottinghamMarch 30, 2005Nottingham will be at the forefront of the nanotechnology revolution thanks to a £3.5 million grant to set up a new state-of-the-art research centre in the city, it was announced today. The Nottingham Micro Nano Technology (MNT) Centre will be an advanced manufacturing facility to help companies develop revolutionary new products and services at a scale of thousandths of a millimetre. Announced today by Lord Sainsbury, Science and Innovation Minister, the grant will provide open access for companies to cutting-edge facilities designed to help bring nanotechnology products and services to the market - particularly in healthcare, engineering and information communications technology (ICT). The world-leading expertise and facilities of five UK universities will also be available through the centre, which has the provisional title MNT@Biocity. It will be led by The University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University, in partnership with the East Midlands Development Agency and BioCity Nottingham. The initiative is supported by a growing list of innovative companies active in nanotechnology, as well as the universities of Leicester, Lincoln and Loughborough. The new centre will be established at BioCity, the healthcare and bioscience innovation centre, on Pennyfoot Street in central Nottingham. Dr Richard Masterman, Director of Research Innovation Services at the University of Nottingham, said: "The facility aims to act as a focal point for regional, national and global developments in nanotechnology commercialisation working at the interface with the private sector. "The expertise and techniques available through the facility will bring significant benefits to the healthcare sector, including pharmaceuticals, food, textiles and medical devices. It will also bring significant benefits to the engineering sector - including aerospace, automotive and energy - and to the ICT sector." Professor Barry Hull, Director of Industrial Partnerships at Nottingham Trent University, said: "The centre is geared to the needs of industry, and this new initiative will focus on the growth, synthesis and evaluation of nanostructured materials which is set to revolutionise and revitalise areas of traditional industrial strength across many sectors." Glenn Crocker, CEO of BioCity, added: "MNT@BioCity will add a whole new dimension to BioCity. It will provide a great resource to the companies based here as well as businesses and researchers across the UK." It is estimated that the global market for nanotechnology could be worth £1 trillion by 2013 - and now Nottingham is in a prime position to play its part. Today's award is further confirmation of Nottingham's status as a scientific powerhouse, following the announcement by Chancellor Gordon Brown on March 16 that Nottingham is to be one of the UK's 'Science Cities'. Lord Sainsbury said: "Nanotechnology offers enormous potential benefit to the UK economy and society. It is important that we remain at the forefront of emerging technologies. "The UK has a world-class science base and we are committing record levels of funding in science and technology. "This funding will play a vital part in developing a new network of micro and nanotechnology facilities and help the UK turn cutting edge ideas into business success." Nottingham, University of |
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