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UK to make multi-million dollar investment to develop nanotechnology

The $150 million (£90 million) will be spent on collaborative research and a new network of micro and nanotechnology facilities. This will help business build on the UK's excellent scientific track record in the small-scale science and win a share of this developing market. The new investment is also securing additional industry and regional spending anticipated to exceed $333 million (£200 million) and will provide a boost to future advanced manufacturing in the UK.

Lord Sainsbury said:

"Nanotechnology promises huge benefits for the environment and our health and wealth. Today's investment will help UK companies take advantage of the exciting commercial opportunities offered by scientific advances in nanotechnology. Some estimates predict a global market in nanotechnology worth over $1 trillion in a decade. I want to make sure the UK wins a share of this prize with a prosperous, world-class nanotechnology sector in the UK.

"It is important that as this technology develops people feel confident about it. I have recently commissioned a study by the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering to look at current and future developments in nanotechnology to understand whether the technology raises any new ethical, health and safety, environmental or social issues which are not already covered by current regulations."

In a major speech at the Royal Society last year, 'Science Matters', the Prime Minister outlined his views on science and technology and highlighted the future significance of nanotechnology:

"Nanoscience - manipulating and building devices atom by atom – is startling in its potential. This kind of disruptive technology may create whole new industries and products we can't begin to imagine."

Sir Graham Hall the current Chairman of the English Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) commented:

"The RDAs welcome the collaborative approach of the MicroNanoTechnology network as a significant step to ensure these exciting new technologies are adopted as quickly as possible. It is essential that industry benefits from the fruits of our world class scientific research in these areas to increase regional and UK prosperity."

The funding will be allocated as follows:

• $83m (£50m) for an Applied Research Program that will support collaborative research and development projects between industry and the science base; and
• $67m (£40m) for new and existing facilities that will make up a UK MicroNanoTechnology (MNT) Network. The network will drive market development and exploitation of nanotechnology around the UK by helping industry access cutting edge nanotechnology research and resources.
• The MNT Network will provide access to academic and industrial facilities throughout the UK. Scottish Enterprise, the Welsh Development Agency and Invest Northern Ireland are working alongside the English RDAs in a unique way to maximize the commercial opportunities for the UK as a whole.
• Existing and anticipated micro and nanotechnology projects supported by the UK development agencies are expected to exceed $333 m (£200m) over the next few years. They will include:
• a new $33-50m (£20-30m) investment by the Northwest Development Agency to establish a fully equipped National Microsystems Packaging Center to integrate and package micro and nano components into normally sized systems and devices in product prototypes;
• $18m (£11m) funding for 'Nanotech NI' which will provide nanotechnology equipment and researchers through Invest Northern Ireland. The university based center will enhance traditionally close academic/ business collaboration through commercially focused research;
• $ 8.32 (£5m) investment by Advantage West Midlands for a new Center for Applied Microsystems to fill the gap in technology development from basic research to new products. The Center will also focus on helping the supply chain to move into the new nanotechnology marketplace; and
• new funding of $20m (£12m) for nanotechnology and photonic equipment and research by One NorthEast through their regional Center of Excellence.

A Strategic Advisory Group has been established to help guide the DTI's support of nanotechnology. It includes representatives from industry, universities, Research Councils, the finance sector and the UK Development Agencies.

Nanotechnology promises more for less. It is about making things smaller, faster, stronger, more energy efficient or with new and useful properties. Examples of potential uses include:

• nano chips which can automatically monitor blood sugar levels for diabetics or the performance of pacemakers;
• faster computers with greater data storage - computers that can hold and access quickly vast amounts of data, far greater than is currently possible;
• new materials that are lighter, stronger, more energy efficient and/or cheaper to produce; and
• nano-glass that cleans itself with the aid of water and sunlight .

Notes to editors

The US National Science and Technology Council Nanoscale Science, Engineering and Technology sub-committee (2001) estimates a global market in nanotechnology of $1 trillion by 2011-2015.

The Department of Trade & Industry will be tendering for a coordinating body to facilitate access to the network facilities and liaise with international partners in the autumn. A call for expressions of interest for the collaborative research will also go out in autumn.

Existing investment by the UK Government into a range of nanotechnology projects totals $ 157m (£94m).

Further information about the study by the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering can be found on the web at http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk and http://www.raeng.co.uk.

The currency conversion rate is £1.00 = $1.67

For more information on the UK's contribution to science, please visit http://www.BritainUSA.com/Science. For media enquiries, contact Steve Atkins on 202 588 6593 or Chris Pook on 202-588-6674.

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