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Nanotechnology makes giant steps
1 December 2003
The London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN) will host a showcase event on 14 January 2004 to publicise new research and raise awareness of this cutting-edge technology.
Nanotechnology is manipulation and manufacturing on the smallest scale. The technology is multidisciplinary, with scientists from physics, medicine, electrical engineering, chemistry, materials and astronomy all working together on projects which are at a scale of one billionth of a metre. The aim is to produce new solutions for a wide range of commercial, scientific, engineering and biomedical applications.
Nanotechnology is widely regarded as a fundamental enabling technology of the 21st century and UCL, in partnership with Imperial College, is at the forefront of its development with LCN. The centre has already been successful in forging strong links with industry by concentrating on harnessing the technology to provide real-world applications. This could mean for example, the design of minute drug doses tailored for the optimal treatment of disease, or the manufacture of computers with memories a thousand times the size of a current desktop PC, yet which take up the same or less space.
Dr Abid Khan, the LCN's Development Manager, believes this applications-focused, interdisciplinary approach will be the secret to LCN's success: "Business likes us because we're telling the truth and science likes us because it's great quality research using the best staff." Because of this LCN is also fast becoming the media's first point of contact regarding nanotechnology. The series of four videos directed by UCL Images' Nick McAlpine and Producer, Les Roberts will further enhance this relationship by showing LCN's academics discussing real-world research.
A number of key individuals interested in nanotechnology from industry, academia, government and the media will be present at the event to hear presentations from Professor Malcolm Grant, President & Provost of UCL, Sir Richard Sykes, Rector of Imperial College, and Lord Sainsbury of Turville, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science & Innovation, among others. Following the presentations members of LCN will discuss their research, which is organised around three socially and commercially important areas: novel low-cost healthcare, new paradigms for information technology and communications, and the earth environment.
Image: Left to right: Nick McAlpine, Freelance Producer/Director, UCL Images; Les Roberts, Executive Producer, UCL Images; Wendy Tester, UCL Business and Dr Abid Khan, Development Manager LCN, on the set of the new LCN video.
To find out more about the event use the link below.
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