Archive for June, 2014

NanoBCA News – 2014 Summer Edition

Posted on June 23rd, 2014 in Uncategorized | No Comments »

There is a tremendous amount of commercialization of products in our nano community.  We will continue to see numerous mergers and acquisitions.

NanoBCA MEMBER NEWS

Nanotechnology firm Zyvex acquired by Luxembourg’s Oscial

Harris & Harris Group Continues Its Blog Series to Highlight Most Impactful Portfolio Companies with HzO, Inc.

mPhase Technologies Presents Video of Technology Award
Frost & Sullivan Explains Path-Breaking Battery Technology

Federal Issues
TSCA/FIFRA/IRIS/EPCRA
By Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Director, Bergeson & Campbell. P.C.

Don’t forget to SAVE THE DATE for the upcoming NNI-sponsored Sensors NSI workshop!
Sensor Fabrication, Integration, and Commercialization
September 11- 12, 2014, Arlington, Virginia
The workshop will focus on identifying challenges faced by the sensor development community
during the fabrication, integration, and commercialization of sensors.
Details will be forthcoming on Nano.gov.
Stay tuned!

NANO NEWS

Researchers Say ‘NRAM’ Could Become Universal Memory Chip
CBR (Computer Business Review)
By Byomakesh Biswal

The World’s Oldest and Biggest Nanotechnology Company
Zyvex Technologies
By Nanalyze

Cambrios Announces Strategic Investment by Samsung Ventures

Trapping Light: A Long Lifetime in a Very Small Place

2014 TAPPI International Conference on Nanotechnology for Renewable Materials
June 23-26, 2014
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

What STEM Shortage?
National Review Online
By Steven Camarota

Worker Illness After Nanomaterial Exposure Examined in First U.S. Case Study on Issue
Bloomberg BNA
By Robert Iafolla
– To contact the reporter on this story: Robert Iafolla in Washington at riafolla@bna.com
– To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jim Stimson at jstimson@bna.com For More Information
– The case study is available for purchase at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajim.22344/abstract

Quantum Materials Ships 20 Grams of Quantum Dots to Major Asia-Based Global Company in First Weeks of Operation of Scaled Production System

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We encourage individuals interested in continuing our efforts to provide information in regard to emerging technologies to become individual members of the NanoBCA.  Click here to become a NanoBCA Individual Member.  The annual Individual Membership fee is $100.

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Enjoy your 4th of July holiday!

Regards,

Vincent Caprio “Serving the Nanotechnology Community for Over a Decade”
Executive Director
NanoBusiness Commercialization Association
203-733-1949
vincent@nanobca.org
www.nanobca.org
www.vincentcaprio.org

NanoBCA Interview with Nanotech Pioneer Dr. Malcolm Gillis

Posted on June 12th, 2014 in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Dr. Malcolm Gillis, a distinguished economist, served as President of Rice University from 1993 to 2004 and has been at the forefront of international research collaboration, working with Lord David Sainsbury when he was Minister for Science, to pioneer a truly international approach between the leading research academics working in nano science in the U.S., U.K. and Europe at leading research institutions.

On June 3rd, Dr. Gillis gave a lecture at The Royal Institution of Great Britain.

NanoBCA
Please tell us about the genesis of your lecture concerning the convergence of Nano, Bio and Info.

Dr. Gillis
This is the latest in a long series of lectures I have given over the last two decades about the promise of nanotechnology.  My involvement in nano at Rice during that exciting time when Dr. Richard Smalley’s team was conducting extraordinary work, and my subsequent involvement in the nano community has afforded me the ability to observe progress and trends not only in the U.S. but worldwide.  During that time, I have had the good opportunity to engage with leaders in the field in Germany, Ireland, Scotland and England, among others.  It’s been an enlightening and inspiring journey for me.  The goal of the lecture is to educate the general public, and to start a dialogue with a broader array of stakeholders, of the extraordinary possibilities that are borne at the intersection nano, bio, and information technologies.

NanoBCA
How did you come to work with Lord Sainsbury and what are the specific outcomes for the U.K. and Texas nano communities?

Dr. Gillis
I first met Lord Sainsbury in the late 1990s on a trip to the U.K. to give a lecture at the Royal Academy in Edinburgh, after which Lord Sainsbury and I met in London to explore potential collaborations in the field of nanotechnology.  I remember being struck by how extremely well prepared he was on the subject.  In just thirty minutes time, we were able to agree and establish the Nano Bio Collaborative on Research which involved eight British universities and ten Texas research universities.  The Collaborative launched in 2002.  Lord Sainsbury provided several million pounds to the effort.  The Collaborative was extremely successful and lasted for ten years.

NanoBCA
The 21st Century Nanotechnology R&D Act was signed into law by President Bush in December of 2003.  Since then, the U.S. Government has spent approximately $20 billion on nanotechnology R&D.  This investment was spread over 9 major U.S. agencies.  What do you believe are some of the major accomplishments as they relate to nanobio?

Dr. Gillis
There have been so many notable achievements.  Too many to cover here but let me mention a few that stand out in my mind.  There was a $2.9 million grant from NIH to fund research at Rice and Baylor College of Medicine for neuro-vascular regeneration which has generated great results in that field.  Another grant was provided in the amount of £6.7 million from BPSRC for research at University College London and Swansea for research in interactive medical devicesThe Center of Nano Health was established in Wales with a£1.9 million grant from BPSRC.   And there were another eight or so grants in the range of $30 million for funding other areas of research.

You mention the signing of the 21st Century Nanotechnology R&D Act in 2003.  Neal Lane, who is at Rice with me, and was the former Provost at Rice and former head of the NSF was very instrumental in getting that legislation passed.  That legislation set in motion four generations of evolution in nano:  first, the immediate effect of moving from prior-2000 (buckeyballs and nanotubes) to 2nd generation (2000-2005) of more active nanoparticles, and 3rd and now 4th.   The National Nanotechnology Initiative was absolutely instrumental.  According a recent article in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, there are now some 507 nanotech firms worldwide.  Two-thirds of those are small firms, which is where a lot of truly great innovation occurs.

NanoBCA
Often we hear a variety of different opinions about the definition of “nanotechnology.”  What’s your opinion?

Dr. Gillis
From my perspective, the definition of nanotechnology is broad and includes many biological innovations, because most anything that goes on in a human cell is “nature’s nanotechnology.”

NanoBCA
One of the participating agencies of the NNI is the NIH.  What are some breakthroughs we can expect from NIH in the next 5-10 years?

Dr. Gillis
There have been some very significant advances in therapy and diagnostics which will continue to deliver tremendous results in the years ahead.  For instance, novel techniques developed at Rice and other places that allow for the use of gold nanoshells to kill cancer cells.  Also, advances that allow targeted delivery of cancer drugs to a single cell. 
Breakthroughs in early cancer cell detection will have a profound impact.

Unfortunately, due to woes in the federal budget, prospects for increased funding for NIH are not bright and will limit the possibility of breakthroughs.  However, we will certainly continue to see breakthroughs in cancer treatment, biomarkers and tissue engineering.   Lab-on-a-chip is also coming close to a reality.  Human tissues married with nanowires create a type of cyborg tissue that might enable doctors to monitor changes in human tissue not imagined before.  And, there are remarkable developments in building living tissue with 3D printing technologies.  Genomics has already given us a complete parts list for humans.  New advances in nano-bio-IT provide us with the extensive capability to manmake these parts.

In conclusion, the big picture for future breakthroughs is that most of these advances are the product of the convergence of nano, bio and information technologies.  That convergence is a powerful force for innovation.  That is the focus of my lecture in London on June 3rd.    

NanoBCA
Dr. Gillis, thank you for your time and tremendous insight.  

Thank you Dr. Gillis for your contributions to the nano community over the last decade.

Regards,

Vincent Caprio “Serving the Nanotechnology Community for Over a Decade”
Executive Director
NanoBusiness Commercialization Association
203-733-1949
vincent@nanobca.org
www.nanobca.org
www.vincentcaprio.org

Water 2.0 May 21st-22nd Conference Recap – Fall Water 2.0 Events

Posted on June 12th, 2014 in Uncategorized | No Comments »

We have recently completed our Water 2.0 Conference May 21st-22nd located at Northern Illinois University.  The agenda for the event can be found here AGENDA

Here is a link to the presentations:
Click here to view Water 2.0 IL 2014

Our list of dynamic speakers included:

Making Water Supply Count More
Alan Hinchman, Global Marketing Director-Infrastructure, GE Intelligent Platforms

David G. Frede, Industrial Data Intelligence, Marketing Lead, GE Intelligent Platforms

Water Technology Trends – Patents Reveal Growth and Opportunity
Scott Anderson, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP

Water Projects:  Hot Topics in Finance & Innovation
Clifton McCann, Partner, Thompson Hine
Gregory Chafee, Partner, Thompson Hine
Ebie Holst, Founder & CEO, Clean WaterNet, Ltd.

Industrial Water Audits
Jon Reinke, Vice President Engineering, WaterSurplus

Financial Trends in the Water Industry
Jim Hurd, Director, GreenScience Exchange

Brilliant or Balderdash? Hunting for value in cutting-edge industrial water technologies.
Brent Giles, PhD, Senior Analyst, Lux Research Inc.

Accelerating Change
Christopher Peacock, Founder, Water Innovation Project

Global growth strategies for water products company
Kevin McGovern, CEO, The Water Initiative

Advanced Materials Innovations in LID Water Treatment – Field Data and Economic of LID performance: 2011-2014
Stephen Spoonamore, CEO, ABSMaterials Inc.

Customer-driven innovation in water technologies – “People + Pipes + Policy”
Erik Hromadka, CEO, Global Water Technologies

Using on-line sensors and event detection software for protection of source water
Dan Kroll, Chief Scientist, Hach Homeland Security Technologies; Principal Investigator, Hach Advanced Technology Group

Water Technology Innovation as the Key to Sustainability
Sally C. Gutierrez, Director, U.S. EPA’s Environmental Technology Innovation Cluster Development & Support Program

We are excited to announce 2 fall Water 2.0 events:

 Water 2.0-Houston banner

 


Water 2.0-Water Management & Energy Summit
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center
League City (Houston), TX

AND

Water-2.0-Industrial-Internet-banner-for-emails



 

Water 2.0-Industrial Internet Conference
Monday, November 3, 2014
GE Aviation Centre
Cincinnati, OH

Looking forward to seeing you in the fall!

Regards,

Vincent Caprio
Executive Director
Water Innovations Alliance Foundation
203-733-1949
vince@waterinnovationsfoundation.org
www.waterinnovations.org
www.vincentcaprio.org