The science of small things
The emerging field of nanotechnology is gaining ground in the Czech Republic, with successes reported by local researchers and the commercial sector. To ensure continued development in the new science, VB-Technical University of Ostrava (VB-TU), in North Moravia, is launching the first program in nanotechnology in the Czech Republic. Not to be left behind, other universities are following suit.
Students at VB-TU had until the end of April to apply for a Bachelor's degree program that is set to start in the coming fall semester. According to Stanislava Kebová of VB-TU's advisory center, around 40 people applied for the 30 places in the program, but only applicants who pass a mathematics exam will be accepted. Moreover, successful graduates of the Bachelor's program can then go on to earn a Master's degree in the nanotechnology program.
Nanotechnology is the study and design of systems on a nanometer scale, which is one billionth of a meter. Its applications cover a broad range of topics including medicine, physics, engineering and chemistry. Nanotechnology is perceived as one of the key technologies of the 21st century, with the potential to grow within a decade into a ?1-trillion (zł.3.8-trillion) industry.
A field in its youth
Speaking at a nanotechnology conference held at the Corinthia Panorama hotel in Prague, Jitka Kubátová, manager of Prague-based Technology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (TCAS ČR), pointed out that four Czech universities are scheduled to launch optional nanotechnology courses in the fall semester. Kubátová also noted that the courses would be supported by European Union structural funds, but did not give further details.
Although none of the countries in the Central and Eastern European region are significantly ahead of the Czech Republic in nanotechnology education, according to the Alexandr Prokop of the TCAS ČR, the country "shouldn't rest on its laurels as things are moving ahead also in other countries in CEE." Prokop is the national contact point for the nanotechnology and space technology sections of the European Union's research and development (R&D) programs.
"We're all at the beginning, and advancement of this [nanotechnology] field depends on funding priorities of each country," Prokop said. From the former Eastern Bloc countries, only Slovenia is better off than the Czech Republic in terms of share of gross domestic product invested in R&D, including nanotechnology. Public funding for nanotechnology R&D in Slovenia reached an estimated x500,000 (zł.1.9 million) in 2004, according to European Commission (EC) data, while the Czech Republic spent zł.1.5 million in the same year.
As nanotechnology is still young in many ways, the potential of a country to successfully develop nanotechnology must be checked by the quality of its basic science. Prokop pointed out that the Czech Republic has a strong position in engineering, clinical medicine and mathematics in nanotechnology, while spintronics - the form of nanotechnology which uses electron spin to make potentially much faster quantum computers or nanotechnology applications in medical devices - has a big potential here. Czech physics, chemistry and biosciences are at least on par with or better than the world's average, and their quality is steadily rising.
Prokop added that it's hard to find a strong industrial partner for development of nanotechnology applications in the market in the Czech Republic and, moreover, that there's a general lack of venture capital available for nanotechnology research in Europe compared to the United States.
Nano-success story
One of the most visible Czech companies in the nanotechnology field is the nanofiber technology specialist Elmarco, which announced in May its intention to build a new center for the development and production of nanofibres. Ladislav Mare, Elmarco's CEO, said he believes graduates of VB-TU's first nanotechnology program will certainly find jobs in the field. "The local market doesn't offer any graduates with this type of education, we're therefore training our staff in special programs of nanofiber product development," Mare told CBW.
Elmarco's planned R&D center - dedicated to the development and production of nanofibers - will be built in the Liberec North Business and Industrial Park in North Bohemia. According to Mare, the company plans to finance the estimated CZK750 (zł.100.7) million cost of investment over the next three years partly through loans, subsidies, the reinvestment of profit and will possibly consider entry of an investor. To staff its R&D center, Elmarco will cooperate with universities and engage HR companies.
"For fast adaptation of the new employees, we will build a special training center. Training of the new staff will focus on their fast adaptation to specific projects," Mare said.
Elmarco holds a worldwide patent on its Nanospider production process, a technology enabling the production of nanofiber textiles on an industrial scale. Last year the firm signed a technology and product-development agreement with healthcare-technology company Alltracel Pharmaceuticals for the development of a next-generation delivery platform for Alltracel's "m-doc" technology, which helps to stop bleeding. According to Mare, Elmarco also has a number of strategic partnerships and joint projects in the pipeline that will be announced at the end of June.
Martina Marečková
This is an edited version of a story which originally appeared in Czech Business Weekly
