USA risk losing global leadership in nanotech

According to a new report from Lux Research, “In terms of sheer volume, The U.S. dominated the rest of the world in nanotech funding and new patents last year (…). But (…) countries such as China and Russia launched new challenges to U.S. dominance in 2009, while smaller players such as Japan, Germany and South Korea surpassed the United States in terms of commercializing nanotechnology and products.” (press release)

 [[[ Additional links suggested by Nanocolors :

Has China already passed America in nanotechnology?

Nano-related patents – the most visible countries 

Ranking the nations on nanotech ]]]

Nanotechnology country profiles

Interestingly, the Nano Magazine (already mentionned in this post) provides several recent nanotechnology profiles of countries very involved in this field : Switzerland, France, South Africa, Japan, Australia and the Netherlands.  Probably more to come in the next months !

NanotechJapan

NanotechJapan is a Japanese portal with an international edition delivering Japanese government and other R&D – related nanotechnology news. A free web magazine dedicated to nanotechnology is also available ; it features the research outcomes and activities of the 13 centers in the Japanese Nanotechnology Network :

Hokkaido Innovation through NanoTechnology Support (HINTS)

Center for Integrated Nanotechnology Network (CINTS)

NIMS Center for Nanotechnology Network

NanoProcessing Partnership Platform (NPPP)

Center for Nano-Lithography and Nano-Characterization

Center for Nanostructure Formation and Observation using Electron Beams

Waseda University Nanotechnology Foundry

Chubu Integrated Nanotechnology Support Center

Kyoto Advanced Nanotechnology Network

Handai Multifunctional Nanofoundry

Synchrotron Radiation Center for Nano Measurement and Analysis

Silicon Nano Processing and Vacuum Technology Support Center

Kyushu Nanotechnology Network

International Alliance for NanoEHS Harmonization (IANH)

The launch of the International Alliance for NanoEHS* Harmonization (IANH) was announced at the Nanotox 2008 Conference in Zurich on the 9th of September. According to its website, “the International Alliance for NanoEHS Harmonization is an interdisciplinary alliance of scientific experts, themselves currently active in all aspects of this arena, drawn from Europe, Japan and the United States that seeks to establish reproducible approaches for the study of nanoparticle hazard“. More specifically, the goals are to 1) establish in vitro and in vivo nanomaterial NanoEHS testing protocols that are validated to produce the same results in multiple laboratories internationally and 2) identify nanoEHS in vitro testing protocols that correlate with results in animal test and may be predictive of in vivo effects.

* EHS : Environment, Health and Safety