Izon Science Secures Investment for Expansion

In conjunction with the investment, Izon's global headquarters are being transferred from Christchurch to the Oxford Science Park, UK where an Izon subsidiary has been operating since 2010. Hans van der Voorn, Izon's Executive Chairman is now based there.

"The establishment of the corporate headquarters in the UK allows us better access to European and North American markets and reflects the reality of a more favorable capital raising environment in the UK for global science companies," says van der Voorn.

The company plans to double the size of its UK team this year to support the move. Manufacturing and R&D will continue in Christchurch, where staff numbers are being boosted in line with the company's overall expansion plans.

"The increased capital and market access enabled by the move to Oxford has allowed us to take on more staff in order to expand the product portfolio and to increase business with our key suppliers in Christchurch," adds Van der Voorn.

Izon's patented technology, Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensing (TRPS), offers the most accurate series of nano and microparticle analyses for advanced biomedical applications. Nanomedicine development, extracellular vesicles and viruses are all important and growing areas of interest.

Fine-scale control and monitoring of the forces acting on particles as they pass through a nanopore allows the size, count and charge of particle samples to be probed with higher resolution and accuracy than other technologies. The detailed nanoscale measurements are also generating new tools for quantifiable bio-analysis.

The company has developed three instruments that it currently sells into life science research and product development markets.

Van der Voorn says that Izon's strengthened European presence will also allow it to focus on collaborations that accelerate product development and application development. "The sensitive detection capabilities of TRPS are just beginning to be exploited. We work closely with our customers to solve their analysis problems and that typically leads to the generation of new ideas."

To further support its expansion, Izon is planning to open offices in China, Germany and India. The company is also opening a second US office in San Diego, CA to add to its facility in Cambridge, MA which has been operating since 2011.

Northwestern University’s International Institute for Nanotechnology Partners with NTU

The medical field is an area where nanotechnology is expected to have the most profound impact and benefit to society, and the new NTU-Northwestern Institute for Nanomedicine is poised to realize significant advances. The new institute will support a global group of scientists working on joint research projects in the areas of disease diagnostics, timed-release therapeutics, and targeted drug delivery methods, which would greatly increase the efficacy of existing drugs. Researchers will also design new methodologies, such as gene silencing and theranostics, to treat diseases.

NTU President, Professor Bertil Andersson announced the collaboration on February 17th at the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) meeting held in Chicago. "This partnership with Northwestern and their International Institute for Nanotechnology is a testament of NTU's growing reputation as a new powerhouse in nanomedicine research," Professor Andersson said.

"The world-class expertise of Professor Chad Mirkin and his colleagues within the Northwestern International Institute for Nanotechnology, in biodetection and in nanotheraputics, is a perfect match for NTU's expertise in drug delivery systems and biomaterials engineering. The future in the delivery of drugs is in nanomedicine which allows the medicine to be conveyed to the intended location that needs treatment," said Professor Andersson. "In short, it's medicine delivery with a postal address."

"This is a great opportunity to capitalize on the strengths of two outstanding universities to use nanotechnology to explore solutions to some of the most devastating medical problems," stated Northwestern President, Professor Morton Schapiro. "This partnership is a wonderful example of Northwestern's commitment to engage internationally in ways that will heighten global impact for the greater good."

Professor Chad Mirkin, Director of the IIN, George B. Rathmann Professor Chemistry, and scientific advisor to United States President Barack Obama; along with Professor Vinayak Dravid, IIN Director of Global Partnerships, Abraham Harris Professor Materials Science and Engineering, and Director Northwestern University's Atomic and Nanoscale Characterisation Experimental Center, will lead the Institute's effort at Northwestern.

"We have enjoyed a longstanding relationship with NTU. The commitment of both institutions in the establishment of this important new Institute for Nanomedicine will strengthen and expand the existing ties and provide a fertile foundation for exciting new medical advancements," said Professor Mirkin. "We are very much looking forward to working with our colleagues both here and at NTU to launch this new endeavour," said Professor Dravid.

NTU Provost, Professor Freddy Boey, a long-time collaborator of Professor Mirkin, said, "Northwestern University and NTU go back a long way. We have previously worked together on various research projects. This new Institute formalizes our relationship and takes it to a higher level."

Northwestern Provost, Professor Daniel Linzer added, "Successful collaborations between academic institutions require significant and enduring faculty involvement. Northwestern and NTU faculty have been collaborating for many years now. We are delighted to work with NTU in the formation of the Institute and look forward to our faculty and students conducting research that yields a significant impact on human health."

NTU is a research-intensive university with an international outlook, with remarkable success translating research into innovative applications. It has a student population of 33,500, with programs taught in English. It was recently ranked 41st globally by higher education information provider Quacquarelli Symonds. NTU is also ranked No. 1 in the world by Times Higher Education in industry income and innovation.

Some of the existing cutting-edge research projects at NTU include the new anti-glaucoma nanomedicine, Lipolat, which is undergoing clinical trials. Injected only twice yearly to replace the current daily eye drops, this nanomedicine reduces high eye-pressure, which if left untreated can lead to blindness. Another nanomedicine project is a new drug-eluting balloon. When coated with a gel, it can deliver drugs over a long period of time to prevent re-occurrence of cardiovascular plaque that narrow the arteries. This unique gel contains millions of timed-release nano-sized capsules which have anti-restenotic drugs in them to help prevent the re-narrowing of arteries after it has been widened.

Northwestern's IIN is an umbrella organization that catalyses and supports interdisciplinary research focused on the development of transformative nanotechnologies including nanomedicine. Established in 2000, the IIN is home to the first federally funded nanotechnology facility in the nation; currently represents and unites over S$600 million in nanotechnology research, education, and infrastructure; and has positioned Northwestern as a world leader in the field.

Some of the remarkable research projects currently in various stages of development at the IIN include: a diagnostic system that detects disease-causing viruses and bacteria, as well as genetic mutations, with greater sensitivity and accuracy than ever before; a drug-delivery system that allows physicians to successfully combat inflammation after open-heart surgery; and skin moisturizers with gene regulators capable of penetrating deep into the skin and turning "off" disease-causing genes—a technology that has great potential for life-saving therapies for skin cancers. The IIN unites over 190 faculty experts from 25 different disciplines and major state-of-the-art facilities, all of which will greatly advance the collaborative research and translational medicine of this new Institute.

Photonics Industries Expands in China

Photonics Industries International Inc. announces the expansion of its sales and service branch office based in Suzhou, China, in order to address its growing market presence and global demand for diode pumped solid state laser products.

The 8,200 ft2 building has extensive cleanroom facilities and will increase the company’s factory authorized service network in China. The build is intended to support growth in the industrial and scientific laser markets in Asia through subsidiaries in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China.

Photonics Industries also expanded its Long Island headquarters back in November 2013.

NY State Awards $35M for Marcy Nanotech Development

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces further progress in the development of the Marcy NanoCenter with the approval of low-cost financing for Oneida County to improve infrastructure that is vital to creating new economic opportunities for the region. In order to support the project, the New York State Environmental Facilities Corp. Board of Directors approved a $17.5 million interest-free loan, along with a $17.5 million low-interest loan, for Oneida County to begin work to harden and improve the county’s sewer collection system and increase the system’s overall capacity.

“Improving Oneida County’s wastewater system is vital to supporting the development of the Marcy NanoCenter, which will bring thousands of good-paying jobs to the region,” Gov. Cuomo says. “With the help of this State financing, the County can expand and strengthen the essential infrastructure it needs to accommodate additional growth in the private sector. We are pleased to provide the support that our local partners need to create new economic opportunities for New Yorkers and make communities stronger for the future.”

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr., says, “This is the largest infrastructure project in the history of Oneida County. This financing comes at a crucial time as we continue to prepare for Nano Utica and our emerging transformational nanotechnology industry. We thank Gov. Cuomo and EFC President Matt Driscoll for their leadership in approving this financing. We continue to invest in the future of our community and today is another step in the right direction.”

The three- to five-year loans approved will save the county $395,000 over the cost of the county borrowing on its own. This project will also increase the capacity of the county’s primary pump station to transmit more flow to the Oneida County Water Pollution Control Plant. This, in turn, will more than double the plant’s capacity and greatly reduce the chances that sewage will overflow into the Mohawk River during periods of severe weather.

EFC previously issued low-cost loans to Oneida County to reduce the amount of stormwater entering the sewer collection system. In this new phase, upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant will increase the overall capacity of the plant and improve the water-quality at the end of the sewage treatment process.

“Upgrading the 400-acre Marcy NanoCenter business park site to shovel-ready status is one of Governor Cuomo’s highest priorities,” says EFC President and CEO Matthew Driscoll. “This project is one of several wastewater improvements Oneida County is undertaking to eliminate combined sewer overflows in the system and to increase the system’s capacity for treatment. The project is essential to the development of the Marcy NanoCenter development due to the fact that the development cannot be served by the existing Oneida County system until the capacity is increased.”

Senator Joseph A. Griffo says, “We’re excited about becoming the state’s newest nanotechnology hub, but expanding our infrastructure to meet that demand would be impossible without the help of the state Environmental Facilities Corp. I’m pleased that the agency has provided these two loans which will help Oneida County expand the capacity of its wastewater treatment plant – and save local taxpayers $400,000 in the process. I thank Governor Cuomo for his continued leadership as we continue working to develop thousands of quality jobs in the Mohawk Valley.”

Development of the Marcy NanoCenter is expected to create thousands of well-paying new jobs. This project is tied to New York State’s investment in building a global technology hub centered on the semiconductor and nano-electronic industries, as well as on clean technology initiatives, such as LED and photovoltaic R&D manufacturing.

Lightwave Logic Constructs Class 100 Cleanroom

Lightwave Logic Inc., a technology company focused on the development of Next Generation Photonic Devices and Non-Linear Optical Polymer Materials Systems for applications in high speed fiber-optic data communications and optical computing, has opened a 5,000 ft2 corporate headquarters and photonic device facility in Longmont, Colo.

The company has also commenced construction on a Class 100 cleanroom within the facility to be outfitted with planar waveguide fabrication capabilities suitable for prototype and pre-production runs of electro-optic silicon organic hybrid technology circuits.

The cleanroom, along with the new optical testing and electro-optic polymer formulation lab within this new facility, will enhance Lightwave's capability to manufacture prototype photonic devices for the defense, commercial telecom, and data communications industries. The company's synthetic chemistry facilities will remain in Delaware to leverage the analytical chemistry talent base available in that region.

Technical capabilities within the facility, expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2014, are designed to be self-contained for prototype development and to accomplish secondary manufacturing steps on silicon organic hybrid devices.

"Having our own sophisticated facility will allow us to more efficiently develop devices to penetrate major telecom and datacom opportunities,” says Tom Zelibor, CEO of Lightwave Logic. “This location is also in close proximity to photonics companies engaged in a variety of technologies such as defense LADAR, parallel optical computing, cloud server technologies and secure optical communication networks that if combined Lightwave Logic's electro-optic polymer technology, could have distinct competitive differentiation.

"Our long-range plan is to have direct control of all proprietary fabrication processes under this vertically integrated facility where we can provide design support and production capability of complex waveguides, modulators, transceivers, and optical thin film component assemblies for our current partnerships and potential new customers."

McIlvaine Company

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