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Nanoscience in healthcare projects land major funding

£6.5 million has been awarded to seven business-led projects that will focus on developing nanoscience technologies to benefit the healthcare sector.

Funding has been approved by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and the Technology Strategy Board and will go to projects that focus on developing therapeutic agents and diagnostics innovation.

The investment is targeted to develop the UK’s standing as an early competitive adopter of these types of technologies.

It is hoped that world-class ideas from academia can be commercialised through building supply chains with innovative businesses.

EPSRC Chief Executive, David Delpy, said: “This is the second example of pulling nanoscience research originally funded by the Research Councils through to application by co-funding with the Technology Strategy Board.

“This approach actively supports economic growth whilst contributing to advances in healthcare technologies.”

The investment is part one of a two-stage initiative under the Nanoscience through Engineering to Application Grand Challenge for Healthcare.

Nanoscale technologies can be useful to the healthcare community in addressing challenging areas such as the better detection and diagnosis of disease, and highly effective treatments that are tailored to patients’ needs.

Iain Gray, Chief Executive of the Technology Strategy Board, said: “Nanoscale technologies are at the heart of the innovations that will be developed through these seven interesting and exciting projects.

“They will address challenges in building the supply chain across enabling nanoscale technologies and the healthcare sector, and take ideas from basic proof-of-concept or process to pilot technology demonstration.”

Critical Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Johnson Matthey plc, Mologic Ltd, Nanomerics Ltd, OJ-Bio Ltd, Renishaw Diagnostics Ltd and Sharp Laboratories of Europe Ltd will lead the projects.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .