BUSINESSNEWS


SAFENANO CELEBRATES A DECADE OF RESEARCH INTO SAFER


NANOTECHNOLOGY Scientists at the Scottish SAFENANO centre are celebrating ten years of research dedicated to de-risking innovations in nanotechnology.


As nanotechnology delivers ever- broader benefits to multiple facets of society, scientists at the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) have dedicated a decade’s worth of research to the pursuit of nanotechnology safety in order to ‘hallmark’ a number of nanotech breakthroughs as safe and sustainable.


Nanotechnology is science, engineering, and technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is typically in the range 1 to 100 nanometres. From the latest advances in medicines and healthcare, to developments in cosmetics, paints, packaging and now 3D printing, the IOM’s SAFENANO team and lab have been de-risking nanotechnology using its unique combination of multi-disciplinary expertise, laboratory skills and state- of-the-art equipment on behalf of enterprises from small start-ups to multi-national corporations.


CEM FULLY RENOVATE LABS FOLLOWING


INCREASED DEMAND Increased demand on their services and instruments has caused CEM to refurbish and update its UK facility.


The renovation, completed as part of an extensive investment from CEM, will allow its UK facility to provide an even greater bespoke support for its many customers and collaborators. The increase in the number of laboratories will allow for a broadening of scope and an increase in the variety of uses on offer.


Following the renovation, the new facilities will allow for in-depth instruction and individual application development to be taken to a new level, on optimally configured


twitter.com/TomorrowsLabs


Standards Agency, and more widely for the European Commission and the European Chemicals Agency. These reviews have been instrumental in how today’s approach to nanotechnology risks and regulation have developed.


Dr Steve Hankin, SAFENANO’s Director of Operations, leads the team of scientists at the IOM: “Our mission has always been to provide the highest quality expertise to help nanotechnology emerge and develop on a safe and sustainable basis, maximising its commercial potential, through continuous development and improvement of our knowledge, equipment and practice.”


Over the ten years of SAFENANO, IOM scientists have carried out a series of reviews for the UK Government and its agencies including HSE, Defra, the Environment Agency and the Food


equipment, under the supervision of CEM personnel.


The large central laboratory space has been split, providing adequate space for instruments dealing with both non-toxic materials, such as food stuffs, and the more rigorous methods involved, for example, in material science.


The working lab has been designed with full consideration for the environmental testing sector, with CEM’s Mars 6 in use for acid digestion of samples, as well as solvent extraction for PCBs and PAHs.


Alongside this, CEM will continue to help speed up group two testing procedures for food science, with new instrumentation and refined techniques for heavy metal testing,


In parallel with these activities, the growing SAFENANO team developed and launched a suite of lab- and field-based scientific services to support manufacturing and R&D across industry and academic sectors. These included guidance for safe working practices, workplace assessments, characterisation of materials, toxicology testing, risk assessment and training. Today the SAFENANO team delivers its unique range of multidisciplinary services globally to support the use and adoption of nanotechnology in a safe and sustainable way.


The IOM believes that the major challenge going forward is to ensure that the key aspects of research and best practice find their way into responsible innovation and effective governance of nanotechnology and other emerging technologies where uncertainty and risk are at play.


www.safenano.org www.iom-world.org


salt analysis, protein analysis, total fats, fibre and moisture, and FAMES (Fatty acid methyl ester analysis).


Regarded as a pioneer in the application of microwave technology to chemical research and development, CEM has designed instruments and perfected techniques that have contributed to a ‘new era’ in chemistry, characterised by faster reaction times, increased yields, automation and improved repeatability.


CEM’s excellence in both microwave and non-microwave instrumentation, along with application development, has created a large demand for its expertise and assistance from universities, international companies and prestigious research institutes.


www.cemmicrowave.co.uk Tomorrow’s Laboratories | 15


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44