October 16, 2008: The U. of Utah has established the Nano Institute of Utah, representing a significant and decisive step in the state’s quest to bring together the university’s and the state’s nano science experts in diverse areas of chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, medicine, and pharmacy.
“Our mission is to develop and implement a comprehensive program to advance nanoscience and technology across the university and the State of Utah,” said Nano Institute director Marc Porter, USTAR professor in the departments of chemistry and chemical engineering. “The Institute will drive research partnerships with academia, the private sector and government agencies.”
“The Institute formalizes and strengthens the work and the partnerships already in place,” Porter added. “By establishing the institute, we begin bringing together the pieces and players to take nanoscience in Utah from the scientist’s bench to commercialization and beyond — where innovation begins affecting peoples’ lives.”
Institute framers identified five important nanoscience areas of focus for the Institute: nanomaterials (thin films, coatings); interfacial sciences dealing with the behavior of fine particles and thin films that interact (molecular structuring, ion transport); nanobiosensors (diagnostics, chemical detection); nanomedicine (localized drug delivery, diagnostic imaging, scaffolds for tissue engineering); and micro and nano systems integration and reliability (building nano systems and devices).
Florian Solzbacher, professor in the departments of electrical engineering, materials science and bioengineering and co-director of the Institute, added that the institute will identify and promote entrepreneurial opportunities and help launch new high tech companies to commercialize nanoscience discoveries.
“The institute should prove to be a magnet for industry-sponsored research and other collaborative efforts with leading life science business,” said USTAR nanotechnology consultant Darwin Cheney. “It will be in a unique position to capitalize on state-of-the-art nanofabrication facilities the university is adding as part of the USTAR building project.”
The establishment of the Nano Institute of Utah will be formally announced at NanoUtah 2008, the annual conference hosting nano science researchers from Utah and around the globe. Held October 16-17 at the U. of Utah, NanoUtah 2008 will focus on recent advances in employing nanotechnology in medicine.
Marc Porter, USTAR professor in the departments of chemistry and chemical engineering, and the director of the new Nano Institute at the U. of Utah.