Low-cost, application-specific biosensors and materials with designed bio-functionality both offer tremendous possibilities for impact in areas key to economically tackling global challenges in health and sustainability. These include personal healthcare and diagnostics, environmental monitoring and remediation, targeted drug delivery and food production. Emerging technologies in these areas have high potential to rapidly transition from basic research to commercial exploitation, either via spin-outs from university research labs or collaboration with established businesses.
Regionally, the West of England and Wales are strongly positioned to exploit these opportunities. We have a high concentration of university research groups in the fields of biosensors and bio-functional materials alongside existing businesses developing healthcare, environmental and other allied technologies. This landscape is further enhanced by a diverse range of initiatives and networks to facilitate the commercialisation of research and develop the regional technological economy.
Jointly organised by the University of Bristol Centre for Functional Nanomaterials and the UWE-based Institute of Bio-Sensing Technology, this meeting will bring together key regional actors in the fields of biosensors and functional biomaterials. University and industry representatives will highlight regional activity in the area, explore potential for future interactions and strengthen routes for moving research from the laboratory to the marketplace. Keynote speakers will address emerging
technologies in the field, examples of successful industry-academia interaction, recent startups and spin-outs, sources of funding and other support available for SMEs.
