Science Vale UK, The environment for global Excelence
Milton Park starts first phase of Enterprise Zone
27th January 2012
Milton Park is starting the first phase of preparation for the recently announced Science Vale UK Enterprise Zone.
Milton Park East comprises a large storage and distribution facility. By demolishing this building, modern commercial premises will be constructed to provide space for companies across the office, science and hi-tech sectors and paves the way for Milton Park to be at the forefront of future economic growth in the region.
Milton Park is moving forward on the Enterprise Zone plan with the first phase of the demolition already in process. Fencing has been installed along the perimeter of the site and the demolition of the existing building started last week. The works are programmed to be completed by the end of December 2011.
Although the actual works will take a matter of days, the contractors will be on site for several weeks as a staggering 95% of the building will be recycled. The 350 tonnes of metal is being melted down and all the glass, wood, plastic and plasterboard being reused. In addition, the rubble produced by the demolition will be left on the site for future construction.
The Enterprise Zone aims to create 8,400 jobs by 2015 within the Oxfordshire LEP region and support the development of Oxfordshire’s skills strategy by creating new apprenticeship opportunities.
James Dipple, Managing Director at MEPC Milton Park, said: “The redevelopment of building 182 is enhancing the potential of Milton Park. It is giving our current occupiers the room to expand and grow as well as creating extra space so new organisations can move to the estate. Creating jobs is the primary reason for the government selecting regions such as ours for the enterprise zone status. As well as the direct employment benefits of the new status, we expect to see wider knock on job creation as the local community expands to support the increased business occupation.”
Anti-infective technology wins award
27th January 2012
Accentus Medical, a leading Science Vale UK medical technology company that develops and applies advanced coatings and surface treatments to a wide range of medical devices, announced today that the first medical device to incorporate its Agluna® silver anti-infective technology has received a European CE mark. The METS modular tumour replacement system manufactured by Stanmore Implants Worldwide is already a market leader in its field of massive tumour replacement and limb salvage devices. Following the award of the CE mark, the system will also be available with the Agluna® surface treatment option.
Agluna® is a novel, patented surface modification technology applied to medical devices manufactured from several metals including titanium and its various alloys. The goal of the technology is to reduce infection rates following surgical procedures. Medical device materials are susceptible to rapid colonisation by bacteria, which then surround themselves with a plaque or biofilm as protection against the body’s immune defences. Implants treated with Agluna® technology have been shown to remain clear of such biofilm formation, thereby reducing the incidence of serious post-operative, device-related infection.
Philip Agg, Chief Executive of Accentus Medical, said: “The award of a CE mark to a device incorporating Agluna® is an important indicator of the broader potential of the technology and we are pleased to have worked closely with Stanmore Implants to achieve this major step in our development. Accentus Medical is now poised to work with Zimmer, Inc., a global market leader in musculoskeletal care, our exclusive partner in the field of joint replacement implants, to further develop this highly promising technology for the global hip and knee market. We have also initiated studies, in disciplines such as cardiovascular medicine and neurosurgery, aimed at placing Agluna® at the heart of infection control beyond the orthopaedic sector.”
Martin Pickford, Senior Vice-President of Business Development for Accentus Medical, said: “Infection following implant surgery can be challenging, costly and time consuming to treat. Prevention of infection at the outset is a highly attractive solution for both patents and clinicians. Data generated from clinical usage of custom made tumour replacement implants at two major UK orthopaedic oncology centres since 2006, has demonstrated how the Agluna® technology can help in realising this solution.”
Brian Steer, Executive Chairman of Stanmore, said: “With infection being a major burden on the healthcare system and often leading to avoidable amputations, we are delighted to secure approval for our silver treated METS system. There is increasing evidence to support silver’s anti-microbial properties and incorporating it into our METS system puts Stanmore in a very strong competitive position. We expect to see demand rapidly increase and we look forward to working with doctors around the world to help improve the lives of patients.”
Culham Science Centre welcomes Crossman Engineering
27th January 2012
Crossman Engineering has moved to Culham Science Centre, to occupy approximately 6,000 square feet of high bay, research and development space. Crossman are specialists on sheet metal fabrications and the welding of various metals. The move was driven by a need to expand and also a desire for closer proximity to their parent company, Reaction Engines Ltd.
Reaction Engines (REL) has been at the forefront of the development of technologies for reusable spaceplanes for over 20 years. REL is both expert and experienced in space transformation. In particular, REL is a world authority on heat exchanger technology for the engines of advanced reusable space launchers.
Gordon Harrison of Crossman Engineering commented: “This strategic move in to larger more flexible accommodation supports Reaction Engines testing facility and will enable us to expand our current activities over the next 12 months”.
Emma Jewson, of Kemp & Kemp Property Consultants, Letting Agents for Culham Science Centre said
“Culham Science Centre is an established research and science park renowned for leading edge fusion and energy research. The site is home to a wide range of science and non-science occupiers including those in power solutions and bio science. As well as enabling Crossman to work more efficiently by being close to its parent company’s research base and testing facility they will benefit from access to the wide range of amenities including conference facilities, restaurant, day care nursery and the ability to engage with like-minded businesses.
New scanner allows liquids back into aircraft cabin baggage
27th January 2012
Cobalt Light Systems has received European approval for its revolutionary INSIGHT100 bottle scanner, which enables aircraft passengers to carry liquid items larger than 100ml once more. Airports could now allow passengers to take items such as water, cosmetics, perfumes and duty free through airport security channels from as early as 2013. The current ban on items over 100ml in hand baggage can only be lifted when airports are able to effectively screen quickly and without opening the containers. INSIGHT100 screens individual bottles in less than 5 seconds to determine whether there is a security threat.
The INSIGHT100 scanner exceeded the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) standard for use at airports with an almost perfect detection capability and negligible false alarm rate in unopened containers, ensuring maximum safety for the travelling public with the minimum delays. What makes INSIGHT100 special is the capability of identifying explosives unambiguously inside opaque bottles such as coloured plastic shampoo containers, or green glass wine bottles. Other systems do not precisely identify the threat reliably and may lead to large numbers of false alarms or to missing genuine threats. The system is currently in trials at several major European airports.
The INSIGHT100 system uses a proprietary technology called Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS), which was pioneered at the Science & Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Central Laser Facility at its Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Science Vale UK, and led to the creation of Cobalt Light Systems as a spin out of STFC.
Dr Paul Loeffen, Chief Executive Officer of Cobalt Light Systems, said: “We have worked incredibly hard over the last couple of years to refine the SORS technology and bring the INSIGHT100 to market. It is a great achievement to have exceeded the European standards at this stage so that we are in a prime position to supply this unique bottle screener to European airports”. The development of the INSIGHT100 was funded under the Innovative Research Call in Explosives and Weapons Detection (2010) initiative, a cross-government programme sponsored by a number of government departments and agencies under the CONTEST strategy.
Prof. Pavel Matousek, at STFC’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and inventor of the SORS technique said: “Since STFC made the breakthrough in discovering SORS a few years ago, we have worked closely with the team at Cobalt Light Systems to develop and refine this technology. It is particularly exciting to see how this particular scientific development could now go on to make a real difference to the safety and wellbeing of our society.”
The restriction on liquids was introduced following a failed al-Qaeda bomb plot in August 2006 to bring down several airliners departing London for North America – the terrorists aimed to use liquid explosives carried onto aircraft in bottles. Recently, the European Commission agreed to relax the limit on liquids by introducing new screening measures from April 2013. In just over a year from now, passengers will again be allowed to carry on that expensive bottle of champagne as a gift for friends, provided the bottle is screened.
Jonathan Flint has been made a CBE
3rd January 2012
Jonathan Flint, Chief Executive of Oxford Instruments, a leading Science Vale UK company has been made a CBE in the New Year’s Honours for services to science and business.
“I am absolutely delighted to have been awarded this honour. I see it as a recognition of the key role science and business has in supporting the UK economy and the world we live in, both now and in the future. It is also a recognition of the skills and commitment of all those who work for Oxford Instruments and I am pleased to accept it on behalf of us all.
ITER funding deal agreed
3rd January 2012
Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) has welcomed the agreement to find the extra €1.3 billion required for ITER in 2012/13.
Representatives of the European Commission, European Parliament and the EU member states agreed a resolution to the project’s funding issues in the latest of a series of trilogue meetings yesterday. This paves the way for ITER – the next-generation international experiment crucial to the development of commercial fusion power – to push forward.
Head of CCFE Professor Steve Cowley was understandably delighted: “We have been waiting for this for a long time – it’s great news for the whole of the fusion community,” he said.