Good News for the Region: Nanotechnology

[gc]

Senate approves $10 million for nanotechnology research
http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2003/09/22/daily53.html?jst=b_ln_hl

The Senate approved $10 million for the Strategic Partnership for Research in Nanotechnology, a consortium comprised of The University of Texas at Dallas, The University of Texas at Arlington, Rice University and the University of Texas at Austin.

The funds are included in the fiscal year 2004 defense appropriations bill, which is awaiting the president's signature.

"Nanotechnology is the wave of the future," said Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas. "Stronger, lighter and more efficient materials can help revolutionize health care, transportation and defense."

Hutchison is a long-time supporter of higher education research, securing $6 million to fund the partnership in FY 2003. The new appropriations approved will be used to establish a collaborative network of well-equipped research centers to advance and promote nanotechnology to meet everyday needs.

[bloodandpopcorn]

That's awesome! It will be helpful to Texas as a whole, but it's even nicer to see that half of that should be coming to the North Texas area.

[CTroyMathis]

That is good news! On that note, not sure if this was already brought up - but, some news from UT Southwestern:



http://irweb.swmed.edu/newspub/newsdetl.asp?story_id=678

UT Southwestern’s capital campaign passes $300 million mark; $50 million anonymous gift largest in Dallas’ history
DALLAS – Nov. 13, 2003 – Record-setting new gifts and pledges to UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Innovations in Medicine capital drive have brought the total raised to date to $301 million, and the enthusiastic donor response has persuaded campaign leaders to raise the overall goal from $450 million to $500 million. The additional $50 million will go to the “Clinical Services Initiative” component of the drive.

A new $50 million anonymous contribution – the largest gift in the medical center’s history and the largest single philanthropic donation ever to a Dallas organization – enabled the campaign total to top $300 million in less than three years. The new total is more than twice the entire goal of UT Southwestern’s last major campaign. That drive, which ended in 1995, exceeded its $150 million target by $15 million.

The record-setting gift will be used to enhance the quality of clinical care and service received by UT Southwestern’s patients as well as to find treatments and cures for diseases through basic research. The goal of the Clinical Services Initiative, announced in February 2003, is to develop a system for delivering a superior medical experience for patients at the center’s clinics and hospitals.

“Although the donors of this remarkable gift do not desire recognition, their wish is for the medical school to become as well known for excellent clinical care and service as it already is for its outstanding research,” said Dr. Kern Wildenthal, president of UT Southwestern. “Clearly, leaders in our community are responding positively and enthusiastically to what the medical center is and what we intend to become. Their support and encouragement have enabled us to raise our sights and increase our goal so that we may put more emphasis on the clinical services portion of our campaign.”

William T. Solomon, chairman of the campaign, said, “Gifts for the Clinical Services Initiative’s component of the campaign will help recruit additional outstanding clinical faculty, increase their productivity with state-of-the-art technology, ensure a quality nursing staff, provide improved telephone and information systems, and support clinical research programs so patients can benefit sooner from the great discoveries being made at the school in basic science – in short to ensure that patients can get the best possible care at the medical school.”

Early donations to the campaign have been used in part to facilitate the construction on the North Campus of the largest biomedical research building in the state, scheduled for completion in 2005. The recently opened Moncrief Radiation Oncology Center was also funded from campaign gifts. Funds have also enabled the recruitment of new chairs of neurology, psychiatry, cardiology, anesthesiology, radiation therapy, pediatrics and internal medicine. The Clinical Services Initiative was announced in February 2003 in conjunction with a gift of $10 million from Mr. Solomon and his wife, Gay, to endow enhanced patient services in the Division of General Internal Medicine. This and subsequent donations have helped begin the installation of a sophisticated electronic medical records system, and new human resources and clinical training directors have also been hired to facilitate patient focused training for all clinical staff.

“The extraordinary response of the donor community, along with UT Southwestern’s increasing focus on patient services, prompted the decision to raise the goal of the drive,” Mr. Solomon said. “Thanks to the tremendous philanthropic support we have received, UT Southwestern’s doctors and scientists will be able to accelerate their work at the forefront of research and will simultaneously be able to develop a model system for the delivery of superb patient care.”

Dr. John Rutherford, the medical center’s vice president for clinical operations, said the expanded goal for the Clinical Services Initiative will enable the medical center to:

Create a streamlined appointment scheduling system;
Implement a patient-friendly telephone system;
Expand the scope of its electronic medical records system;
Enhance customer-service training;
Facilitate clinical trials enrollment; and
Establish endowments for master physicians and practice groups.
“All in all, this will permit UT Southwestern to make enormous progress in creating an unsurpassed patient-centered culture,” Dr. Rutherford said. “The Clinical Services Initiative is basically about customer service. We are focusing on the fact that we are in the business of providing not only excellent care but also excellent service.”

Mr. Solomon said, “The explosion of technology in health care, together with nationwide structural changes brought on by rising costs, has made it increasingly difficult for patients everywhere to navigate today’s sophisticated health-care system with an experience that is humane and patient-friendly. UT Southwestern’s Clinical Services Initiative is aimed at changing that by putting the patient’s perspective at the forefront. We believe this initiative will provide a model for the rest of American medicine.”

UT Southwestern announced the Innovations in Medicine campaign in April 2002, with the goal of attracting more of the world’s leading scientists and clinicians and launching their work in Dallas, as well as supporting the efforts of those already at the medical center.

At the time of the announcement, more than $172 million in initial pledges and donations had already been raised during the “quiet phase” of the drive. A total of $30 million more was added through December 2002, and almost $100 million from more than 50 donors thus far in 2003.

In addition to the Clinical Services Initiative, priorities of the Innovations in Medicine campaign include research and clinical programs in a number of areas of special importance, including Alzheimer’s and other neurological disorders; cancer; heart disease and stroke; pediatric illnesses, birth defects and inherited disorders; infectious diseases, immunology and bioterror defense; and basic genetic and molecular research, computational biology, and biotechnology.

[gc]

Nanotech leaders promote N. Texas' potential
More money, education needed, witnesses tell lawmakers at hearing
11:07 PM CST on Friday, December 5, 2003
By IEVA M. AUGSTUMS / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/business/technology/stories/120603dnbusnanohearing.5ce49.html

DENTON – If nanotechnology is going to be the next biggest little thing in Texas, the state needs more money, better-educated students and higher public awareness.

That was the message from several North Texas research and business leaders Friday during a congressional field hearing at the University of North Texas' Research Park in Denton.

"Nanotechnology will no doubt change our world, but it presents new challenges to our educational system, our industries, and our federal, state and local governments," said Richard F. Reidy, a UNT assistant professor of materials science and engineering. "Many important issues regarding the funding and value of nanotechnology must be decided by an educated and informed populace."

Dr. Reidy was one of five witnesses to testify in front of U.S. Reps. Michael Burgess, R-Highland Village, and Ralph Hall, D-Rockwall, both on the House Committee on Science. The hearing examined the state's emerging nanotechnology industry.

The hearing came just two days after President Bush signed into law the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act. The new legislation provides $3.7 billion over the next four years to promote the field.

"I wanted to hear what my constituents have to say," said Mr. Burgess, who will take the testimony back to Capitol Hill and officially put them on the record. "Nanotechnology appears to be the next big thing."

Nanotechnology is the term for the manipulation of individual molecules or groups of atoms to create materials and devices. The name comes from the nanometer, a unit of measure that's one-billionth of a meter in size.

Its potential applications vary from computers to medicine to aerospace and agriculture.

Impact


The state's most dramatic impact in nanotech will be in the electronics industries, medical industries and in the energy sector, testified Dr. Ronald L. Elsenbaumer, interim vice president for research at the University of Texas at Arlington.
"Federal research support plays an important role in what our researchers do," he said. "I would encourage funding agencies to be more aggressive in supporting these activities."

Mr. Burgess said he did not know how much money from the president's new legislation would come to Texas.

University leaders said several changes in the educational process are needed to support future workforce needs.

"I do not think I am exaggerating that many of our research universities are among the best in the world," testified Dr. Da Hsuan Feng, vice president for research and undergraduate education at the University of Texas at Dallas. "However, the number of Americans obtaining Ph.D.s has not grown with our population and with the increasing needs of our industry."

Dr. Elsenbaumer agreed and offered up a suggestion.

"Perhaps a high priority should be directed at strengthening the math and science skills of K-12 students, and subsequently improving the preparedness of U.S. students entering college," he said.

Mr. Hall acknowledged Dr. Feng and Dr. Elsenbaumer's requests, but commented that maybe it is fear of nanotechnology that is scaring away future scientists.

"You're always going to have some reactionary debate on new technologies," testified John Randall, chief technology officer and vice president of research of Zyvex Corp., a Richardson-based nanotechnology company.

"You cannot ignore any ethical or social implications, but you can talk about them. Nanotechnology is here in North Texas and it is not going away."

Nanotech leader

In fact, over the last few years, Texas has started to position itself as a nanotech leader.
In addition to the millions of research dollars Texas universities have received, UTD, UTA, the University of Texas at Austin and Rice University in Houston formed the Strategic Partnership for Research in Nanotechnology in April 2002.

Since its inception, SPRING, as the group is known, has been awarded $16 million in federal grant money to work with the Air Force on nanotech research and development.

"I think everyone would agree with me that not so long ago, North Texas was not known for its nanotechnology efforts," Dr. Feng said. "Now, we are on the national and international radar screen."

E-mail iaugstums@dallasnews.com

[tamtagon]

"I think everyone would agree with me that not so long ago, North Texas was not known for its nanotechnology efforts," Dr. Feng said. "Now, we are on the national and international radar screen."



Has North Texas made a bigger blip on the radar screen in the year since that article was written?

[gc]

^ I have not heard a thing.

[Mballar]

Texas ranks 14th on list of leaders in nanotech
Start-up funding and statewide planning would improve standing, report says


11:42 PM CST on Wednesday, January 26, 2005


By VICTOR GODINEZ / The Dallas Morning News


If Texas wants to take a national leadership role in nanotechnology, state officials and entrepreneurs don't just have to climb past traditional tech heavyweights California and Massachusetts.

Less obvious contenders such as New Hampshire, Connecticut and New Jersey rank above Texas in several key measures for nanotech research and development, according to a report issued Wednesday.

Nanotechnology, often heralded as a potential engine for economic development, is the science of building objects atom by atom, with potential applications in industries from health care to aerospace to agriculture.

Lux Research Inc.'s report to the Commerce Department examined 16 factors, including state nanotech spending, in-state nanotech patents and in-state nanotech companies.

It also looked at broader criteria such as the size of the technology workforce, taxes and regulatory burdens.

Texas ranked 14th – just good enough to fall into Lux's "Nano-Leaders" category, but on the border of being a "Nano-Aspirant."

Lux rated Texas' strengths:

•Rice University and the University of Texas have excellent research facilities.

•Businesses face fairly low taxes and regulatory hurdles.

•Nobel laureate and Rice professor Richard Smalley is one of the top nanotech evangelists in the country.

Among the weaknesses:

•There's a lack of start-up funding for nanotech outside of Austin.

•There's no statewide plan to direct nanotech research and development.

•There are few established companies focused on nanotechnology.

Some proposals could boost Texas' standing in the cutting-edge field, state leaders and economists say.

Gov. Rick Perry has offered to create a $300 million Texas Emerging Technology Fund to create jobs and stimulate research.

Waco economist Ray Perryman of the Perryman Group said in a December report that nanotechnology would be one of the industries to benefit from such a fund.

He said Wednesday that Texas can become one of the top nanotech states.

"I definitely think it's something we can achieve," he said. "We didn't start out at the head of the pack in microelectronics either."

E-mail vgodinez@dallasnews.com

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^Good to see Texas on the list, even though Dallas is not mentioned as a contributor.

[The Great Hizzy!]

I know a new facility is being planned and built in Friendswood/League City near Houston and Pearland has plans to build one as well. I imagine that new facilities are being built in Austin and DFW as well. The key to the longterm success of the field is the continued strides in the field made by research institutions such as UT and Rice, which have probably the two best specific programs dedicated to such research in the state.

[Fobulous]

Nice. THis reminds me of the book Prey
by Michael Crichton (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0066214122/104-0216922-0656727?v=glance) I hope it won't be true!! :P