Nanotech in the Basel area

Transcription

1 April 2009 Nanotech in the Basel area Basel is a successful economic and research region Basel is home to the full range of nanotechnology activities from research to commercial products Many Basel companies are active in nanotechnology Local innovation networks support collaboration between industry and academia Introduction to Basel The Basel area is a very compact and thriving economic region, boasting a remarkable cluster of innovative and research-based companies, an international environment and an ideal business location. Situated at the border to France and Germany with good transport links throughout the continent, Basel is at the gateway to Europe. The Basel area is home to one of the world s most successful life sciences clusters with companies representing the full breadth of the industry from modern biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and medical technology to agribusiness and specialty chemicals, and with both large multinationals as well as a fl ourishing group of small and medium-sized companies. The life sciences industry in Basel is fully integrated, with key competencies in all major activities throughout the value chain from research and development through to production. A highly qualifi ed workforce and a full range of service and supplier companies have developed here. Alongside its major life science industry, the Basel region has a signifi cant research tradition, with one of the oldest universities in the world and its fair share of Nobel laureates. Research is conducted at the top ranked University of Basel and research institutes, such as the Friedrich Miescher Institute and the new ETH Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, as well as in industry research departments. Nanotechnology in Basel Basel is a focal point for the growing area of nanotechnology. The region is in the unique position of not only being the hub of public nanotechnology research and education in Switzerland and host to considerable industry-based research activity, but also the place where nanotechnology is turning into concrete products. The presence of such a dense life sciences and specialty chemicals cluster provides an outstanding basis for the scientifi c and commercial use of nanotechnologies, creating a demand by local companies for nanotechnologies in activities from research to production. Public Research and Education The University of Basel is the leading research institute in the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) program in Nanoscale Science, maintaining a network of universities, federal research institutes and industrial partners. The Swiss Nanoscience Institute, led by the physicist Prof. Christian Schönenberger, has evolved from the NCCR, which was founded in 2001 by the renowned nanoscience pioneer Prof. Hans-Joachim Güntherodt. Today, the Swiss Nanoscience Institute is recognised as a worldwide centre of excellence for nanoscale science. The NCCR Nanoscale Science initiative aims to provide new impact and ideas for the life sciences, for the sustainable use of resources and for information and communication technologies. Contents Introduction to Basel 1 Nanotechnology in Basel 1 Public Research and Education 1 Industry organisations and networks 2 i-net BASEL 2 European Foundation for Clinical Nanomedicine 2 Nanotech in Basel companies 3 Nanosurf 4 Nanotechnology in Switzerland 5 Nanotechnology 5 BaselArea Economic Promotion 6 1 Nanotech in the Basel area

2 CTI Nanotechnology projektfoerderung/00243/ index.html?lang=en i-net BASEL i-net BASEL Nanotechnology Swiss Nanoscience Institute European Society for Nanomedicine European Foundation for Clinical Nanomedicine Swiss National Science Foundation aspx About 200 scientists work together in interdisciplinary groups made up of physicists, pharmacologists, biologists, chemists, physicians, computer scientists and engineers. The various research groups focus on the following fi ve subject areas: nanobiology, quantum computing and quantum coherence, atomic and molecular nanosystems, molecular electronics, and functional materials. The existence of the fi rst program of study in Europe specifi cally in nanotechnology at the bachelor s and master s level, and the only one of its kind in Switzerland, will ensure a continued source of highly qualifi ed professionals in nanotechnology for continued research and development, as well as for companies active in the fi eld. The University of Applied Sciences of Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), located in the Basel area, is also part of the NCCR network. The Institute of Life Sciences in Muttenz and the Institute of INKA (Institute of Nanotechnology in Synthetic Material Applications) in Windisch, both institutes of the FHNW, offer programs involving nanotechnology. Industry organisations and networks i-net BASEL To further promote innovation in high technology industry branches, the canton of Basel-Stadt has launched the i-net BASEL program, which supports and steers highly promising developments in specifi c fi elds of future-oriented technology: nanotechnology, green technology, and information and communications technology. i-net BASEL brings together suppliers, customers and research organisations to encourage demand-driven joint innovation and to accelerate developments through the close cooperation between research bodies and industry. i-net BASEL also offers targeted support for new start-ups and growth companies to develop their business ideas. Innovation Circles allow specifi c exchanges between experts working in i-net BASEL s fi elds of technologies. The Innovation Circles focus on specifi c Innovation Topics that offer signifi cant development potential. The i-net BASEL nanotechnology stream was initiated in early 2008 and the fi rst two Innovation Circles (Nanoparticles and Nanomanufacturing) were launched in January Regular nanoevents will provide the nanotechnology industry with a platform for networking and direct access to current information and developments. For more information on i-net BASEL Nano, please contact: Wolf D. Zinkl Tel wolf.zinkl@inet-basel.ch European Foundation for Clinical Nanomedicine The European Foundation for Clinical Nanomedicine is a non-profi t institution aimed at advancing medicine for the benefi t of individuals and society through the application of nanoscience. Based in Basel, the Foundation supports clinically focussed research and interaction and information fl ow between clinicians, researchers, the public, and other stakeholders. To this end, the Foundation sponsors the annual European Conference for Clinical Nanomedicine, publishes the European Journal for Clinical Nanomedicine, and is seeking sponsors to support fi nancially promising research projects. Plans to realise its project of a European Research Lab Space for Clinical Nanomedicine in Basel are underway. The Foundation has also established the European Society of Nanomedicine, a non-profi t, non-governmental interdisciplinary professional association with members from clinical medicine and from basic and applied research. 2 Nanotech in the Basel area

3 Nanotech in Basel companies Companies in the Basel area are active in the full range of nanotechnology activities whether it is in research, product development or product optimisation, or in the associated areas of observation or manufacturing. A few examples illustrate the breadth of activity in this area. Actelion Ciba Specialty Chemicals Clariant Concentris Huntsman Institut Straumann Nanoscan Nanosurf Novartis Roche Pharmida Syngenta Willy A. Bachofen Zeptosens Nanotechnology is an important tool in the research and development activities of the pharmaceutical industry. Basel area companies make use of nanotechnology for detection, for drug discovery and for drug delivery. In order to characterise biological targets and their interaction with compounds in development, Actelion incorporates the latest technologies, including nanotechnology into their ongoing drug discovery programs. Novartis is engaged in the development of biodegradable nano-scale drug delivery systems, which are broken down within the human body and/or within the environment to safe, well-characterised metabolites. Pharmida, the Basel-based subsidiary of Midatech, has been established to pursue a long-term nanoparticle drug development program. Researchers from the National Centre of Competence in Research at the newly established Swiss Nanoscience Institute (SNI) in Basel, together with Roche scientists, have developed an innovative method for the rapid and sensitive detection of disease- and treatment-relevant genes using nanomechanical sensors. Know-how and skill at the nano level is important for advanced bioanalytical technologies and their applications. Zeptosens, a division of Bayer, conducts ultrasensitive biomolecular analysis based on nanotechnology-based microarrays and readout systems. Development of advanced materials handling and product coatings also use nanotechnology. Ciba Specialty Chemicals has a number of products using nanotechnology on the market, such as Particol, a nanoparticle used in paper manufacturing and Tinoderm Nanotopes, a delivery system that can enhance delivery and distribution of active ingredients, such as vitamins or skin conditioners. Clariant is developing nanoceramics, which can be used in the aerospace, semiconductor, power generation and electronics industries, while other nanomaterials will be in use in the automotive and engineering industries. Huntsman has developed Araldite RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding) systems based on nanotechnology, which provide toughness while being lightweight. Araldite RTM systems and Araldite bonding systems support the production of lightweight car parts. Since the properties of dental implant surfaces are important for the development of their products, Institut Straumann conducts research into the technology for manufacturing nano-structured surfaces and into the molecular processes taking place at the surface of dental implants on the nanometer scale. Syngenta is investigating the potential of nanotechnology in the area of formulation research for crop protection and seed treatment products. Structures that measure just a few nanometres are not detectable either by the 3 Nanotech in the Basel area

4 naked eye or by conventional microscopes. Therefore, the development of special equipment, such as specialised microscopes or analytical equipment has been an important advance. The ability to see and analyse nanostructures offer scientists important new insights, because the function of an object is often determined in the fi ne detail of its structure. Several companies in the Basel area are active in the area of associated technologies that enable nanotechnology research and production: Concentris develops and markets analytical instruments and sensors based on nanomechanical cantilever sensor technology. Nanoscan offers high-resolution scanning probe microscopes for analysis of nanometer-sized surface structures. Nanosurf provides easy-to-use atomic force microscopes (AFM) and scanning tunnelling microscopes (STM). Willy A. Bachofen, produces devices that can disperse and grind products down to the micron- and nano ranges. Concentris, Nanoscan and Nanosurf are all start-ups from the University of Basel. Nanosurf from Basel to Mars When thinking about the recent successful NASA Phoenix Mars Probe, nanotechnology may not be the fi rst thing that comes to mind. But, the ability of an atomic force microscope (AFM) to provide details of soil-particle shapes as small as 100 nanometres (less than onehundredth the width of a human hair), has made an important contribution to the scientifi c goals of the mission. The microscope in question was developed by the Universities of Neuchâtel and Basel, and by the Liestal company Nanosurf. Nanosurf was established in 1997 and focuses on the development and production of scanning probe microscopes for application at universities and in industry. Nanosurf s atomic force microscope design was selected because of its light weight, low voltage requirements, and robust features. Such a device can also assist with the analysis of the specific properties of surfaces, which has important applications in engineering, in coatings and in the semiconductor industry. Nanosurf has a strong connection to the Basel region. It is a University of Basel start-up and it was founded by three Swiss scientists. 4 Nanotech in the Basel area

5 Nanotechnology The science of small things Nanotechnology, a science that deals with objects with the size of a few nanometres, is a fi eld that has already delivered many innovative products, and promises even more advances applicable across industries and in every facet of society. The term nano comes from the Greek nanos meaning dwarf. In the context of nanoscale science, nano denotes one thousand millionth or one billionth of a unit. As a unit of length, therefore, one nanometer is one billionth of a meter or one millionth of a millimetre. The main building blocks of matter, such as molecules and atoms, are nanoscale structures. Therefore, the ability to see, measure, understand and work with particles of this size is important in many different disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biology, medicine and engineering. Nanotechnology encompasses not only the actual structure, characteristics and use of nanoparticles, but also the necessary technology and devices for measurement, containment and manufacturing. Many products have already hit the market: sun protection factors in sun creams and special colour effects in car paints can be based on nanoparticles; antirefl ection coatings on glasses and contact lenses are being optimised thanks to nanotechnology; and new nanotechnology-based dosage forms for medicines are also coming onto the market. New nanomaterials, atomic switches, nano robots for use in medicine these are but a few examples of developments that could be just around the corner. Nanotechnology in Switzerland Switzerland offers an excellent environment for such a forward looking industry, with a strong network of research institutions together with a broad industrial base encompassing such industries as microtechnology and precision engineering, life sciences, specialty chemicals and materials manufacturing. At the intersection of advanced scientifi c accomplishment and innovative industrial application, nanotechnology is a technology fi rmly focussed on the future. Whether used to develop materials with new properties, miniscule components and systems or in revolutionary handling and production technologies, the ability to see and to work with matter at the nano scale is increasingly used in industries as diverse as biotechnology, manufacturing and engineering. Universities and technical institutes not only provide a source of highly qualifi ed researchers and technicians, they also make an investment in basic research that is second to none. The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) supports research in all disciplines, including the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) in nanosciences and quantum photonics and a national research program on functional supramolecular materials. But basic research is not conducted by academic institutions alone the business sector conducts approximately 25% of the basic research done in Switzerland. Collaboration between research institutes and companies provides an ideal environment for technology and knowledge transfer. This partnership is fostered by a Swiss Government initiative, the Innovation Promotion Agency (CTI), which sponsors projects in applied research and development between universities and industry in life sciences, engineering, enabling sciences and micro-and nanotechnology. Switzerland also offers an attractive business environment, particularly for high technology industries. A favourable tax system with moderate overall taxation and an attractive tax regime for international and research-based companies are paired with cooperative tax authorities and a straightforward regulatory framework. A high quality of life index is demonstrated by the consistent presence of Switzerland at the top of international rankings, reached through the existence of fi rst-rate infrastructure, a safe and comfortable living environment and a dynamic social and cultural life. These factors help to attract and retain a highly qualifi ed international workforce. 5 Nanotech in the Basel area

6 BaselArea Economic Promotion The BaselArea Economic Promotion offi ce promotes the Basel region of Switzerland as an economic destination and supports companies that are interested in setting up a presence here during the decision-making and establishment processes. The offi ce is funded by the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Baselland, and our services are free of charge. We can support you by providing: Answers to your key questions Advice on establishment procedures and opportunities Support to find the right location, people and office space Contacts with experts and authorities. If you are interested to learn more, please contact us. Sheena Bethell BaselArea Economic Promotion Aeschenvorstadt Basel, Switzerland Phone: Fax: sheena.bethell@baselarea.ch BaselArea 4/ Nanotech in the Basel area