Nano2LifeThe European Network of Excellencein Nanobiotech

Dr Dimitris Tsamouras, FORTH / HELP-FORWARDAthens, October 12, 2005

Nanobiotechnology or Bionanotechnology ?Nano-biotechnology is used when nano- applies its revolutionary

principles to life sciences:� nano-structured materials, taking advantage of specific properties

due to the nanoscale can interact precisely with biomolecules or cells, either targeting some specific molecules or detecting molecular events;

� nano-tools for exploration of matter at the atomic or molecular levels can highlight some specific properties of biological complex architectures, especially their dynamic behavior.

So we can (or try to):� Analyse biological samples (fluids, molecules) thanks to highly

integrated and miniaturised devices� Label and track single molecules or trace elements� Target and deliver drugs with a better efficiency and less side effects� Improve the fabrication of novel nanostructured materials

Current situation in EU Nanobiotech

� Fragmented� Various duplicates� Limited industrial investment in R&D� Sub-critical size� Ignorance

N2L mission

� To merge the existing European expertise and knowledge in the field of NanoBiotech

� To improve European scientific excellence and industrial competitiveness in the same sector

Long term goals

1. A scientific excellence centre in NanoBiotech

2. A reference centre for industry and appliedresearch

3. A trend-setter for new research and standards

Some key figures

� 23 full partners� 40 associate partners� 12 countries (incl. CH and IS)� More than 200 scientists� EC Contract for 4 years� EC grant: € 8.8 M � Total budget: € 15 M

Uni Lund

EPFL Lausanne, FSRM

MIC Copenhagen

Parc Cientifica Barcelona

Uni Münster, Centech, Bioanalytik, Uni Mainz, Uni Saarland, Uni KaiserslauternNanoBioNet, IBMT

JRC Ispra

Demokritos, FORTH

Mesa+ / Uni Twente

Tyndall institute

INSAT Newcastle

CEA, CNRS, INSERM

Uni Tel Aviv

A motivated consortium

Strategy

General Activities

� Shared resources & Mobility (WP1)

� Joint Research Programme (WP7)

� Education (WP8)

� Project Management (WP10)

4 support instruments

� Industrial cooperation (WP6)

� IPR & Knowledge management (WP2 / led by FORTH)

� Gender Action Plan (WP3)

� Communication & dissemination (WP9)

Horizontal actions

� Ethics (WP4)

� Foresight & Strategy (WP5)

18 months of activity

� 4 large scientific meetings with more than 100 scientists

� 6 Executive Board meetings

� 20 joint projects initiated

� 12 fellowships for education

� 17 grants for initiating and supporting new projects

� 1 State of the Art (200 pages!!)

� 1 data base on equipment

� 2 web sites (internal / public)

3 core activities� Incubation of joint research projects

• 20 on-going joints projects • Success rate to EC calls 50%

� Shared equipment & know-how, mobility• More than 750 devices in a single database• 8 mobility grants in 2004 + 16 in 2005 (contin.)

� Education & training• 36 fellowships for summer schools and tech

workshops• Postgraduate school• Tutorials• E-learning

Complementary expertises

Basicresearch

AppliedResearch

Prototyping

Product/Services

End users

physics

35%

technology

35%

biology

20%

medecine

10%

Cooperation in research

� 12 Strategic Research Programmes (SRP’s)

• 6 Technology driven groups• Generation of joint projects/programmes between members

to overcome technology barriers (bottlenecks)• Initiation and exploration of mid- to long-term approaches in

the field based on the requests from the SRP-Application groups

• 6 Application driven groups• Identification of applications and needs from the market

12 Strategic Research Programmes

� Technology driven (SRPT)• Bioanalytics

instrumentation• In vivo imaging• Surface functionalisation• Nano-assemblies• DNA, protein, cell chips• In vitro cell & tissue

diagnostics

� Application driven (SRPA)• Drug delivery & theranostics• Cancer related diagnostics• Cell biology• In vitro toxicology • NBIC (Nano-Bio-Info-

Cogno) applied to neuro-degenerative diseases

• Environment monitoring and security

12 Strategic Research Programmesbioanalytics

instrumentationin vitro ce ll and tissue analysis

in vivo imaging

surface functionalisation

nano-assemblies

protein, DNA & cell chip

Drug delivery incl theranostics

Cancer related diagnostics

NBIC applied to neurodegenerative medicine

Environment monitoring & security

Cell biology

In vitro toxicology

SRPA

SRPT

Access to equipment and expertise

� N2L is the largest lab in nanobio in Europe

� Data base on equipment• http://nano2life.ncl.ac.uk• 766 pieces• Permanent call for financial support to

researchers • Travel, accomodation, specific consumables

� Data base on expertises• 5642 citations in published literature

Education & training

� Curriculum nearly accomplished� Summer schools in NanoBio

• Grenoble and Athens in 2005• N2L own summer school from 2006

� Technical workshops• Centech• Mesa+, Tel Aviv to come

� 18 fellowships still available until summer 2006

� E-learning under development

Associated companies profiles

Industry participation by country

Germany

France

Spain

Switzerland

Italy

Ireland

England37

3534

3231

2625242321

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Num

ber o

f com

pani

es

J-04

F-04

M-0

4

A-0

4

M-0

4

J-04

J-04

A-0

4

S-0

4

O-0

4

N-0

4

D-0

4

J-05

F-05

Time Line

Cumulative Industrial Participation

Industrial associate companies� Advancell (SP)� BioMérieux (FR)� Aurelia (IT)� Ayanda (CH)� BASF (DE)� Biopredic (FR)� Diagnoswiss (CH)� Evotec technologies (DE)� Farfield sensors (UK)� Genomica (SP)� Genoptics (FR)� IBM (CH)� Ion-Tof (DE)� JPK instruments (DE)� Lifenova biomedical (SP)� Lyncée Tec (CH)� Merck Spain (SP) � Nanoanalytics (DE)� Nanobiogene (FR)� Neuropharma (SP)

� Oryzon Genomics (SP)� Pharmamar (SP)� Protagen (DE)� ProteinXpert (FR)� Proteus (FR)� Qiagen (DE)� Scitec Research (CH)� Silicon Biosystems (IT)� Sopra (FR)� Spinelix (FR)� Tascon (DE)� Xantec (DE)� Nanobiotix (FR)� Cellix (IRL)� Bioscreen (D)� FerroPharm (D)� Activery (SP)� Medsonic (CY)� DGtec (FR) � Thales (FR)

How can a company become associated ?

1. Prepare a profile of your company (1 page):• Short description• Activities, sectors, SRP’s?

2. Send Expression of Interest & Company profile to:• HELP – FORWARD unit:

• E-mail: dtsamouras@help-forward.gr• Fax: 210 - 3636109

• Project coordinator (Mr. Patrick Boisseau): • E-mail: Pb124111@chartreuse.cea.fr

3. Get ready to join one of the coming events:• Enchede (NL), 18-20 October 2005• Barcelona (SP), 27-29 March 2006

What direct benefitsdirect benefits for a company?

� Joint research projects

� Continuous updates in an emerging field of research

� Mobility fellowships for researchers

� Technical workshops (financial support for small SMEs possible)

� Free access to the largest NanoBiotech lab in Europe:

• http://nano2life.ncl.ac.uk

� Links with Patent and Technology Transfer offices, Venture Capitalists etc.

What direct benefitsdirect benefits for the individual researcher?

� Grant for mobility• For accessing equipment (short term)• For initiating a joint research project

(short to mid term)

� Fellowships for education & training• For summer schools

• ESONN ’05, Demokritos

• For technical workshops• Centech, Mesa+, Tel Aviv University

� Free access to data base on equipment

• http://nano2life.ncl.ac.uk

Nano2Life’s contribution to FP7

� ETP Nanomedicine• Significant contribution to the vision paper• Launched at

• Prepare a strategic research agenda forNanodiagnostics, Regenerative medicine, Drug Delivery

• Rules under finalisation• Links with industry (majority)

� ETP Innovative Medicine• Contribution expected

� Research infrastructures

BringingBringing nanotechnologiesnanotechnologies toto lifelife

www.nano2life.orgwww.nano2life.org

dtsamourasdtsamouras@@helphelp--forwardforward..grgr

Thank you for your attention