Bringing you the latest Business News updates from the science industry
by Heather Hobbs Positive Rebrand for Sci-Tech Daresbury
high-tech companies on site, which reported a combined turnover of £28 million last year, despite the economic downturn, with two thirds reporting significant business growth. Sixty two full time positions were created on site in 2011 and tenant companies are also forecasting recruitment of a further 60 people in 2012.
The survey also revealed that investment in Sci-Tech Daresbury businesses also rose substantially last year, with companies securing a total of £75 million from a number of primarily private sources, a rise of £10.7 million on investment in 2010.
Sci-Tech Daresbury is one of only two National Science and Innovation Campuses in the UK, providing companies with access to world-class science facilities, and includes STFC’s Daresbury Laboratory which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Aerial shot of Sci-tech Daresbury
The Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus has undergone a rebrand after becoming an Enterprise Zone and is now known as Sci-Tech Daresbury. The change coincides with an extensive survey that profiled 84 of the 113
The site, which took on Enterprise Zone status in April this year, is set to expand over the next twenty years to become a ‘technology village’ which will deliver as many as 15,000 highly skilled jobs and attract new international technology businesses to the North West.
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Government Calls on Academia to Train Tomorrow's Cyber Security Experts
Universities are being invited by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), via a call document on its website, to apply for grants to run two new dedicated Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs), that will train postgraduates to maintain the UK's security in the face of growing cyber threats. The call for bids is part of a joint approach to the National Cyber Security programme between the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), EPSRC, GCHQ and the Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance (OCSIA).
David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Skills said: "If the UK is to achieve its growth ambitions and maintain its reputation for world class capability in cyber security, it is vital that we look to discover, develop and nurture the UK's next generation of doctoral-level cyber security experts. The Centres
for Doctoral Training are a key component of achieving the skills blend the UK needs and I would like to encourage novel responses to the call that reflect well on the innovation of the discipline as a whole".
Minister for Cyber Security Francis Maude said: "In the National Cyber Security Strategy, the Government emphasised the importance of expanding the UK's cyber skills base to take advantage of the opportunities cyber space presents and protect our interests where required. Academia has a vital role to play in fostering our future cyber security talent, and we have therefore committed significant investment to deliver the first two Centres of Doctoral Training in Cyber Security. We believe these centres will make an important contribution to further enhancing our world-class cyber security
academic and research community here in the UK."
The CDTs will be expected to graduate at least eight students from each of three successive annual cohorts, the first expected to start around October/November 2013.
Funding for the CDTs could reach £8 million over seven years and will come from a variety of sources, including the National Cyber Security Programme. EPSRC will oversee the management of the Centres. Earlier this year GCHQ, in partnership with the Research Councils' Global Uncertainties Programme (RCUK) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), awarded ‘Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research’ status to eight UK universities conducting world class research in the field of cyber security.
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Synthetic Biology Roadmap Outlines Potential for Future Growth
A group of independent experts has set out a vision for the development of technologies in synthetic biology that could address some of society’s major challenges and lead to significant economic benefit.
A Synthetic Biology Roadmap for the UK has been produced by a coordinating group commissioned by the Department for Business and Skills and it has been published on their behalf by the Technology Strategy Board.
Synthetic biology is the design and engineering of biologically based parts, novel devices and systems as well as the redesign of existing, natural biological systems. It could deliver important new
applications, including biosensors to identify infections and disease, more personalised medicines, improved waste treatments, and more effective renewable fuels and chemicals.
The technology is still at a very early stage but its potential to address many of society’s challenges and deliver economic benefit is widely considered to be high.
The UK Synthetic Biology Roadmap Coordinating Group was made up of individuals from industry, academia, government, the research councils and Technology Strategy Board. Its key recommendations include: investing in a network of multidisciplinary centres; building a skilled and
well-funded UK-wide synthetic biology community; investing to accelerate technology responsibly to market; the UK to assume a leading international role; and the establishment of a leadership council.
Lionel Clarke, Chairman of the coordination group, said: Synthetic biology has the potential to increase prosperity and address some of the major challenges facing our planet – but much work needs to be done, and it has to be done responsibly.
‘Engaging the synthetic biology community in shaping this roadmap has also contributed a first step towards its realisation, through making new connections and building a shared vision.’
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New National Screening Program for Men in Scotland
NHSScotland has selected the international IT services company Atos, in partnership with IMAGE Information Systems, to support the roll-out of a new national screening program’s IT system for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA). Currently, there is no existing vascular screening system worldwide.
Atos’ and Image Information System’s IT solution will be used by NHSScotland staff at all stages of the new screening process, which will call all men aged 65 for AAA screening. The aim of the process is to significantly reduce the mortality rate across the male population.
To provide a solution for storing, viewing, distributing, and reporting on DICOM medical images, Image Information Systems developed a vascular diagnostic system.
The information and management system delivered by Atos includes call/ recall, clinic, alerts, organisational, participant and letter management as well as electronic referrals to vascular services and standardized auditing, among other features.
Procedures are performed in dedicated centres and mobile (offline) screening units. The iQ vascular screening system automatically detects measurements in DICOM data and hands them over to the screening management system. All images are stored in a central web based server. Previous images are available for both online and offline screening units using the iQ-ROUTER PREMIUM prefetching manager.
Image Information Systems is pleased to be working in partnership with Atos and NHSScotland to enhance the delivery of healthcare across Scotland.
Being part of this program is testament to their breadth and depth of current screening knowledge, something which will be invaluable throughout the implementation of the project.
The AAA IT system went live on 25th June and will be rolled out over ten years.
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