East to make nanotech bid

Nanotech focuses on things 80,000 smaller than a human hair

The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) is to bid for funding to set up a nanotechnology research centre in the region.

Lord Sainsbury, Minister for Science and Innovation, announced this week that funding of £90 million is available to the English regions in order to create a UK nanotechnology industry.

Nanotechnology - the science of manipulating atoms and molecules on an extremely tiny scale - is expected to show major growth over the next decade, and to have applications in medicine, electronics and chemistry.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is keen to ensure that the UK capitalises on its potential.

Stephen Holton, with the EEDA, said: "In the next few months we will be presenting the business case to the DTI for a Nanotechnology Development and Application Centre, which would build on the expertise of the Interdisciplinary Research Centre at Cambridge University."

'Clusters' of technology companies

"The East of England has a strong cluster of lifescience and healthcare companies and the largest cluster of biotech companies outside the US."

Mr Holton said the area is also home to companies involved in inkjet printing, plastic electronics, display and other technologies, all of which could benefit from this centre.

He said it was hoped that companies would be able to raise money more easily because of other high-tech successes in Cambridge area, and that other local companies would also develop applications using nanotechnology.

Other locations would benefit as well - part of the bid will be to include the excellence of teaching in nanotechnology at Cranfield University in Bedfordshire.

Mr Holton said that many scientists and technicians will need to access teaching if the region is to develop a nanotechnology "cluster".