NanoFootball
Perhaps you have realized that Spain has become European champions for the second time in its history. The Spanish team was able to take revenge in name of its Portuguese neighbours and defeat Germany n the final of UEFA EURO 2008. Congratulations!
From a more scientific our point of view, the best team at the nanoscale level is a group of researchers of the ETH in Switzerland which was curiously one the host countries for this year’s Euro 2008.
The players are not as good as Fernando Torres or C. Ronaldo but they are six times smaller than an amoeba and they were playing with a “soccer ball” no wider than a human hair on a field that fits on a grain of rice. The ultimate real-life application of such technology is in medicine, where nanobots may one day deliver drugs to specific areas of the body.
If you are able to master this technology, you should start your training session because the next tournament is expected to be celebrated in the 2009 international RoboCup and enjoy their performance, and don’t forget to switch on sound.
Nanotechnology fights corrosion without harming the environment
Researchers in Germany now have developed a novel method of multilayer anticorrosion protection including the surface pre-treatment by sonication and deposition of polyelectrolytes and inhibitors. This method results in the formation of a smart polymer nanonetwork for environmentally friendly organic inhibitors.
The full article can be read at Nanowerk. «Our novel coating exhibits very high resistance to corrosion attack, long term stability in aggressive media and an environmentally friendly, easy and economical preparation procedure», exlpaines Dr. Daria Andreeva in a Nanowerk interview. «We have demonstrated the general procedure for a surface important for the aircraft industry but it is similarly applicable for many types of surfaces, thus enabling many applications in advanced technologies», continues the Russian researcher.”
The new method developed by a team working at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfacesin Potsdam, Germany, may avoid the use of hexavalent chromium, a natural metal known to be toxic and is recognized as a human carcinogen via inhalation. Together with her colleagues Dmitri Fix, Dr Dmitry Shchukin and Dr Helmuth Möhwald, Andreeva published a paper on the design of the group’s novel anticorrosion system in Advanced Materials “Self-Healing Anticorrosion Coatings Based on pH-Sensitive Polyelectrolyte/Inhibitor Sandwichlike Nanostructures”.
The image, showing a 21 day corrosion test was taken by Dr. Andreeva
Two Giants unite to work with small things
Nanotechnology is becoming more and more important. No only research institutions are forming alliances to obtain better results. Countries grasp the advantage of uniting efforts as well.
«2008 Russia and the U.S. have agreed to their first joint steps in nanotech co-operation. Some experts say nanotechnology is set to become one of the most important industries of the century. It may be invisible to the naked eye, but Nanotechnology is everywhere. It is an extremely fast-growing industry and there has been an explosion in research over the last few years. Estimates predict that the global nanotech market could top $US 2 trillion during the next decade. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is one of the world’s leading technology institutes. Alexander Liddle, a material scientist from Britain, says the science allows new properties to be made out of existing materials. “This is a solution of gold nanoparticles which is clearly not gold, it’s red. This red colour is a consequence of the fact that once the particles get small enough, they interact with light very differently from a way a gold bar would interact with light,” Liddle says. The scientist says nanotechnology will make everyday life easier. “You could design windows that are self-cleaning, and such products exist in fact – they have nanoparticles on the surface that interact with sunlight and rain to clean off grease essentially,” Liddle says. When it comes to nanotechnology, Russia and the U.S. are eager to work together. Delegates from Russia’s State Nanotechnology Corporation visited the American labs. “The U.S. is the world leader in nanotechnology. It was the first developed country to provide significant sums of money from the country’s budget into the sphere. We’re interested in looking into their practices and becoming partners, so that Russia could also develop in this area,” says Leonid Melamed, Rosnanotech CEO.»
Source: Nanotech-now
Estimates predict that the global nanotech market could top $US 2 trillion during the next decade..
Presentation on nanotechnology for non scientists
As young scientist we a sure that you will very soon be invited to schools, fairs, exhibits and other initiatives where you have to explain nanotechnology to a less informed audience. Scientific events for non scientist are becoming more and more popular. We show you here, at CORDIS’ website a presentation yp_en_vi-fp.ppt that you could very well use on a younger audience. This one was developed by CORDIS- Community Research and Development Information Service. Maybe you are willing to face the challenge and create your own presentation
Incoming Conferences and Meetings of the “Nano-community”
We have decided to create a new category for those interested in attractive conferences and meetings of the “Nano community”. We have listed below some of the most relevant that will take place in August.
AUGUST
10th-14th: Nanosciences and engineering (part of SPIEOptics and Photonics), San Diego, USA
An interdisciplinary symposium to exploit the growth of commercial and research opportunities in a broad range of nano-topics: Plasmonics, Metamaterials, Nanophotonic Materials, Spintronics, Carbon Nanotubes, Optical Trapping, Nanoengineering, Nanocoatings, Nanomanufacturing,
18th-21st: IEEE Nano 2008 Texas, USA
Emphasis on fusions of several different fields and applications of nanoscience and nanotechnology. The conference focus will be on engineering and business issues related to nanoelectronics, circuits, architectures, sensor systems, integration, reliability and manufacturing in addition to fundamental issues such as modeling, growth/synthesis, characterization.
20th-2st KSOP Summer School, Bad Herrenalb, Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
A complete two day program covering four main “slots” related to the KSOP research areas. It is highly recommendable for young scientists and Master students and PhD candidates.
22nd-25th CFN Summer School on Nanophotonics, Bad Herrenalb, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany.
It is especially useful to those interested in gaining an introduction to the Nano-photonics field.
24th-29th Summer school on Ethics of Nanotechnology, Enschede, Netherlands
Its program will focus on short to medium term developments, related to current research in nanotechnology research programmes and networks worldwide.
Aug30th-Sep4th. Commercialization of Micro and Nano systems conference, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
COMS is perhaps the world’s most important meeting place for all those bringing emerging small technologies from concept to the marketplace. Thanks to this conference you will have the opportunity not only to learn from industry visionaries who are shaping the micro and nano landscape but also to meet investors and technologists interested in Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies.
Researchers concerned with nanotechnology side effects
Nano hazard is on top of the agenda in Nanotechnology and Nanoscience. Researchers all over the world are developing nanoscale material, but simultaneously worrying about the long and short-term exposure to nanodevices and material, and avoiding toxic effects. The absence of a regulating authority means even more responsibility for researchers.
During a presentation made by Tejal Dasai Ph.D form the Department of Physiology and division of Bioengineering at University of Califórnia, San Francisco and also head of the Therapeutic Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory it became very clear than many answers are yet to be found.
Please have a look at the beginning and at the end of the presentation, you will realise that nano hazard is on everybody’s mind.
2nd INL Recruiting Programme is still opened
Probably you know that we have recently opened new PhD vacancies through our recruitment website http://www.iinlrecruitment.com.
The evaluation process is taking place during the current month and the INL especially values those projects related with its main research areas.
a) Nanomedicine;
b) Environment monitoring and security and food quality control;
c) Nanoelectronics devices;
d) Nanomachines and Nanomanipulation.
PhD Students and Supervisors should send a combined candidacy following the instructions listed below and the application deadline is July 22nd. For more information and steps to get one position that may open you the doors of the Nanotechnology world, please visit our temporary recruitment website: http://www.iinlrecruitment.com
The INL International Scientific Advisory Board
In order to succeed in our high demanding mission, the INL relies on the scientific guidance of outstanding and well-known international researchers and experts in the Nanotechnology field such as M. C. Rocco (NSF – USA), H. Rohrer (Nobel Laureate Physics – Switzerland), Aristides Requicha (U. Southern California – USA), Tom Jovin (Max Planck Institute – Germany), Christopher B. Murray (U. Pennsylvania – USA), R. Caciuffo (ITU – Germany) and Emilio Méndez (Brookhaven USA).
The International Advisory board advice joined to a detailed study about the existing current Nanotechnology areas of excellence and specific needs in the economical tissue of Spain and Portugal was especially important to determine the strategic INL research areas:
1) Nanomedicine:
2) Environment monitoring and security & Food Quality and Control
3) Nanoelectronics:
4) Nano-machines and nanomanipulation:
Braga Cost of Living- Accommodation
Some people have been asking us about the cost of living in Braga. Let’s start by giving you some information about the real state offer. Braga has a significant offer of housing. Two to three bedroom apartments are available for very reasonable prices, 250 to 400 Euros. Four bedroom apartments cost a little more 450 to 600 Euros.
The hiring normally is for a minimum of 6 months. Before renting, it is common to be asked for a 2 months rent payment in advance, representing the first and the last months rent. Compared to the nearest cities, Porto, Vila Nova de Famalição or Guimarães, rent tends to be cheaper in Braga, due to the large offer.
Most houses and flats are not furnished, although they may have closets and equipped kitchens. Earlier constructions don’t have heating in Portugal.
You can also find people who rent rooms. Usually these are furnished. The renting price, in flats and houses, normally does not include water supply, electricity, telephone and condominium cost (a cost shared with the rest of neighbours and related with general building maintenance and expenses).
Houses or flats for rent can be found in newspaper ads or through licensed real estate agencies. You can also find accommodation online.
Ranking of the best universities
Following our previous ranking of the most active companies in R&D, we propose you to visit Webometrics. These guys have done a great job because they have ranked all universities around the world according to different criterias and geographic segmentations. Besides, Webometrics will launch a new edition of university rankings soon. (see more)
INL – News
New INL researcher Marta Prado
Marta Prado is INL´s latest researcher and has just settled in in Braga. She has an advanced degree in Food Science and Technology and studies in Biology Science from the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain). Marta has a PhD from the same university in the program of Nutrition, Bromatology and Food technology.
Between the years 1999 and 2006, our new Spanish colleague has been working as a researcher in the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences (Lugo, Spain) from the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC). Between 2006 and 2010, she has been working as Scientific Officer in the Institute of Reference Materials and Measurements from the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (EC-JRC-IRMM) in Geel, Belgium.
Most of her research experience is related with genomic analysis tools and its application to food analysis, since she had worked on the development and optimization of PCR-based methods for the control of food and animal feeds. In the INL, she will work on the application of magnetic nanobiosensors for the detection of ruminant origin meals in feed.
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