Poland set to shine in nanotechnology (w/video)

(Nanowerk News) Strengthening the nanotechnology capabilities of a key institute in Poland will enable the country to upgrade research on biomaterials and alternative energy. It will also help further integrate the country in the European Research Area (ERA).
Nanotechnology has been instrumental in creating many new materials and devices that offer numerous applications from biomaterials to alternative energy, representing an important driver of competitiveness within the ERA. The EU-funded project 'Nanotechnology, biomaterials and alternative energy source for ERA integration' (NOBLESSE) is supporting Poland in strengthening its research capabilities in this pivotal field.
Watch the project's promotional video.
Specifically, the project team is helping the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPC-PAS) to become a bona fide actor within the European nanoscience community. In this context, the academy is looking to develop new environmentally friendly materials, more efficient energy sources and biosensors for medical analysis.
To achieve its aims, NOBLESSE is procuring new equipment for the academy, in addition to strengthening links with other institutes, promoting twinning activities and enhancing knowledge transfer. The latter involves contacts not only with the scientific community, but also with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), schools and the general public. Another key project activity aims to bring new, experienced researchers to the facility and train staff through partnerships with other EU research centres and with academia.
Already, the project team has installed an advanced scanning electron microscope, created a new laboratory in the IPC PAS, the Mazovia Center for Surface Analysis (which is one of the most advanced in Europe), and built an open-access Electronic Laboratory Equipment Database (ELAD) that documents research equipment available in specialised laboratories across Poland. It has also helped establish the surface nano-engineering research group in the academy, and recruited six experts in nanotechnology and biomaterials as well as a project manager. The NOBLESSE project prepared an active atmosphere in the IPC PAS for bringing science towards industry and helped them to enlarge the scope of their patent activity.
another major project achievement has been the improvement of the Institute's visibility through a sophisticated system of press releases, and co-organisation of major scientific and medical events in Poland. The visibility initiative also involved releasing publications related to the IPC-PAS and organising workshops for schools. Much of the project's progress and related initiatives are available on the project website .
overall, the support being given to the academy is expected to help the Mazovia region in Poland, where the IPC-PAS is located, thanks to infrastructure investment and more employment opportunities. Equally important, it will enrich the ERA and advance different sub-fields under nanotechnology, such as biomaterials and alternative energy. Against this backdrop, Poland's competitiveness in this sector is bound to flourish.
Source: Cordis