UK Publishes Nanotechnology Strategy

On March 18, 2010, the United Kingdom (UK) Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) announced publication of UK Nanotechnologies Strategy: Small Technologies, Great Opportunities, which sets out how the government intends to take action to ensure that everyone safely benefits from the societal and economic opportunities that these technologies offer, while addressing the challenges that they might present. The Strategy includes the following key actions:

• Government chief scientific advisers to review coordination of nanotechnologies research across government, including research on safety issues;
• A new website to keep the public informed about government work on nanotechnologies;
• A new Nanotechnologies Collaboration Group to facilitate ongoing communication and collaboration between government, academia, industry, and other interested parties;
• A new Ministerially led Nanotechnologies Leadership Group to address barriers to commercial growth in this area; and
• Government to explore a new industry reporting scheme with a broader scope covering nanomaterials, as well as products containing them.