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Science News
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February 22, 2012 |  |
The Northern Ireland Minister for Health, Edwin Poots, MLA, today announced funding of almost 1 million pounds, to be utilised by Randox and the University of Ulster Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, to develop a test to rapidly determine which patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis will respond to particular drugs. If successful, this will be a marked advance for arthritis patients, enabling those patients to receive specifically tailored treatment.
Fifty percent of this funding has been awarded, after rigorous scrutiny, through the Technology Strategy Board (TSB; www. |
 Over 500 secondary school pupils celebrated National Year of Pathology (NPY) 2012 at events hosted by the Department of Access and Educational Partnerships at the University of Ulster last week.
Year 10-12 pupils attended a ‘virtual autopsy’ lecture, delivered by Dr Victoria Wishart, a Histopathologist at Belfast City Hospital, and the Regional Co-ordinator for NPY. Following the lecture, pupils had the opportunity to gain practical experience of heart and lung anatomy and to learn hands-only CPR. |
Environment Minister Alex Attwood said today that the challenge for NI was to be a world leader in carbon reduction.
He said that the ‘green and clean’ brand of Ireland could be grown if NI was and was seen as, a carbon leader. Leading on Climate Change is a central element in all of this. |
 For the third consecutive year, a University of Ulster researcher has won the All Ireland final of the prestigious Institute of Materials World Lecture competition. Twenty six years old Cormac Flynn, who is a third year PhD student in the School of Engineering at Ulster’s Jordanstown campus, will now represent Ireland in the World Finals of the competition later this year.
Originally from County Clare, Cormac graduated with an honours degree in Mechanical Engineering from National University of Ireland, Galway. |
 Almac's Diagnostics business unit today announced the launch of its advanced Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) data Analysis services.
These latest enhancements to Almac's service portfolio include a comprehensive range of NGS solutions from professional study design to sample processing and expert data analysis for DNA and RNA samples. Uniquely, the services are highly customizable and are available on a standalone basis or in combination with Almac's established bioinformatics offerings in the areas of biological analysis, biomarker and drug discovery and development and diagnostic product development. |
 A breakthrough by University of Ulster scientists could transform the production and industrial use of graphene, a powerful and versatile material that comes from graphite, the carbon in pencil lead.
They have discovered a simple, low cost and environmentally friendly way to bulk produce high quality ‘graphene nanosheets’ from common flakes of graphite and hope to turn their patented process into a commercial success.
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. |
 Scientists at Queen’s University Belfast have made a major breakthrough in developing sensors which dramatically improve the ability to spot early warning signs of corrosion in concrete.
The sensors, which are more resilient and much longer lasting than traditional corrosion sensors, will make monitoring the safety of structures such as bridges and vital coastal defences much more effective.
The research, which was carried out over a four-year period, was in conjunction with researchers at City University London, and was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). |
 Since I converted from science to business or at least from the science of science to the business of science, the most important thing I learned was that there is no plagiarism in business. Good ideas are valuable from wherever they spring and emulation is an acceptable form of flattery. (Incidentally, this is the origin of the eastern predilection for copying and its misunderstanding in the west. |
Almac’s Sciences Business Unit has achieved dual success in MHRA inspections at both their Craigavon Headquarters, Northern Ireland and Elvingston, Scotland sites. Both inspections were the first biennial audits to confirm continued compliance with Investigation Medicinal Products (IMP) licenses and GMP certificates.
The first inspection audited Almac’s isotope chemistry facility in support of their IMP license. |
January 23, 2012 |  |
 Belfast, Northern Ireland, 19th January 2012 – Andor Technology plc (Andor), a world leader in scientific imaging and spectroscopy solutions, today announced the launch of the iXon Ultra high-performance EMCCD camera. Building on a rich history of first to market innovation, the ‘supercharged’ iXon Ultra represents the next generation of the marketing-leading iXon platform.
The iXon Ultra, launching on the popular 512x512 back-illuminated sensor format, has been fundamentally re-engineered to facilitate overclocking of the pixel readout speed to an unprecedented 17MHz, delivering a maximum frame rate of 56 fps, whilst maintaining single photon sensitivity and superb quantitative stability. |
Education Minister, John O’Dowd, has congratulated local students who have taken part in the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition 2012.
The exhibition, held in the RDS, Dublin, involves 550 projects by science students from right across Ireland, with over 120 awards made for the best entries. Thirty-two projects from 17 schools and one further education college in the north of Ireland qualified for this year’s event. |
The Netwell Centre at Dundalk Institute of Technology has been selected to join a worldwide group of centres of excellence into ageing research.
The Centre is one of only three Irish locations to be selected to join the Global Ageing Research Network, along with Aois agus Eolas (Tallaght Hospital and Trinity College Dublin) and the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology (NUIG)
' This is fantastic news for Ireland and in particular for the Netwell Centre, and all who are involved in our wider living Lab,' said Centre Director Rodd Bond.
'As an Institute of Technology we are very proud to achieve this global recognition and it is a further endorsement of DKIT's progressive approach. |
January 11, 2012 |  |
 Irish Theatre Company ‘Little Big Top Circus’ bring science to life as they pose with students to mark the start of the 48th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2012. Students joined ‘Professors’ Haswell and Williams who juggled, unicycled and stilt walked their way through the history of science at the main stage at the BT Arena at the RDS today.
The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2012 kicks off at Dublin’s RDS Main Hall today. |
 Research into a ground-breaking treatment for bowel cancer at Queen’s University Belfast has received a massive funding boost from Cancer Research UK.
Dr Sandra Van Schaeybroeck, whose research aims to identify ways to increase survival from bowel cancer, has received a prestigious £688,000 Cancer Research UK Clinical Scientist Fellowship.
The award, which is one of only four fellowships awarded to UK clinical investigators, renews Dr Schaeybroeck’s current funding from the charity for another three years. |
 Three boys have beaten off competition from their peers to take the top places in A-Level science and win the prestigious Hans Sloane Awards at the Ulster Museum.
The Hans Sloane Awards recognise the highest scoring A-Level students in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The first prize went to Jordan Millar, former pupil of Regent House, now studying Mathematics at Cambridge University. |
Products from 11 Northern Ireland companies will be on show in the Arab Health Exhibition and Congress in Dubai, from 23-26 January, the largest event of its type in the Middle East.
Eight of the companies will be showcased on the Invest Northern Ireland stand at the show, which attracts leading manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors from the Middle East and further afield.
Three companies – Randox Laboratories, Crumlin, Armstrong Medical, Coleraine and Fortress Diagnostics, Antrim – have their own stands at the exhibition. |
‘Empowering future generations through science, technology, engineering and mathematics to grow a dynamic and innovative economy’
As one of the key stakeholders, business has a leading role to play in the implementation of the STEM Strategy. As a result of the review the STEM Business Group was formed to take the leading role in promoting STEM and facilitating engagement between business and the education artery.
Working with all key stakeholders, the role of the STEM Business Group is to encourage more businesses to engage with schools, further education colleges and universities to promote the benefits of studying STEM subjects and making them more accessible, relevant and exciting to pupils and students. |
 Work on Derry’s multi-million pounds science park at Fort George is set to begin this year and will be completed by Summer 2013, junior minister Martina Anderson has said.
Ms Anderson was speaking following a visit to the NI Science Park in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter yesterday. The ambitious plans could see the development of the high-tech facility at Fort George with a second phase in Letterkenny. |
December 20, 2011 |  |
(Winter Edition of Sync NI 2011)
Year after year NISP CONNECT’s £25K Awards unearth the talent that lies in Northern Ireland’s publically funded research base with the aim of preparing and mentoring these undiscovered innovators to become successful business ventures that will contribute to the growth of the Northern Ireland economy. But what happens when the curtains close on the Awards process?
Dave Patterson, from SOPHIA, the winners of the 2007 £25K Awards who are now based in the Northern Ireland Science Park, discusses how the Awards are just the beginning of an exhilarating journey into entrepreneurship. |
 Friends and colleagues of the late Karen Coyles have raised £2300 to help the Community Rescue Service (CRS).
In order to thank the CRS for their extraordinary help during the search for their dear friend and colleague Karen, staff from the Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE) at the University\'s Coleraine campus held a Christmas Cake, Craft, Book and DVD sale to raise money for the voluntary community organisation.
With the help of colleagues in the School of Biomedical Sciences and other University departments, the team from NICHE spent many hours baking, icing and decorating hundreds of tasty and nutritious cupcakes, pastries, cakes and buns. |
 Are you are interested in the possibility of raising angel investment capital for your company?
Halo, the NI Business Angel Network, which is a joint initiative of Invest NI and InterTradeIreland is looking for companies who wish to pitch at their investor evening to be held at The Innovation Centre, Northern Ireland Science Park, on 9th February 2012.
Halo is a network of over 100 business angels who since 2009 have invested over £3m in high growth start-up businesses (not exclusively, but typically those which can return 10 times or more on investment in an average 5 year time frame e. |
Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry addressed an international skills conference in Washington today entitled ‘Building the Employment Agenda: New Solutions to Close the Skills Gap’
While new job creation tops the political and economic agenda across developed and developing economies, companies continue to report difficulty finding qualified workers to fill their available vacancies, despite persistently high unemployment.
The conference, the first of a series of high-level conferences to be held in the US, Europe and Asia, jointly hosted by the Atlantic Council and PricewaterhouseCoopers, brought together leading business, government and academic experts to analyse the issue and generate solutions for government policy, business strategy and educational priorities to combat this skills gap.
Addressing the conference on the work being taken forward in Northern Ireland on the skills strategy ‘Success through Skills – Transforming Futures’, the Minister said: "The Skills Strategy outlines my commitment to providing the opportunities for individuals to equip themselves with the skills needed by employers both now and in the future. |
Northern Ireland must employ ground-breaking technology and innovation to give more patients with chronic illnesses the freedom to manage their condition at home.
This innovation can, in turn, help to boost the local economy and create jobs by attracting inward investment in technology and life sciences.
That was the central message from Health Minister, Edwin Poots and Economy Minister, Arlene Foster as they both made statements to the Assembly on Connected Health. |
Junior Minister, Martina Anderson, yesterday visited the NI Science Park (NISP)
Located in Titanic Quarter, it is acknowledged as one of the top science parks and its aim is to create one of the most ambitious knowledge economies in the world.
As part of its expansion proposals it has partnered with Ilex and the Letterkenny Institute of Technology to consider the feasibility of establishing a North West Regional Science Park on the Fort George site.
The development of this project will stimulate the establishment and development of high quality technology and knowledge based businesses in the North West Region, attracting higher value added inward investment projects and jobs to the region. |
TruCorp, the Belfast-based market leading developer of high-tech training devices for anaesthetists, is to launch two highly innovative products at Medica 2011, from 16-19 November, in Dusseldorf, the world’s biggest event for the medical industry.
The company, which is part of a 12-strong Invest Northern Ireland group of local companies attending the exhibition, is launching two new manikins for training surgeons in techniques for treating children with Pierre Robin Syndrome and patients with micro laryngeal cancers on the vocal cords.
Pierre Robin Syndrome is a condition, present at birth, in which the infant has a smaller than normal lower jaw, a tongue that falls back in the throat, as well as difficulty breathing. |
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