Australia and China to build new nanotechnology lab

The governments of Australia and China have announced that they will jointly fund a new state-of-the-art nanotechnology laboratory in China.

To be situated in the city of Suzhou on China’s central east coast, the Australia–China Joint Laboratory on Nanoscience extends the two country’s existing collaborations on the development of nanotechnology solutions. It will be created under the current memorandum of understanding between the Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN) and the International Strategic Technology Alliance of Chinese universities and incorporate the existing Australia–China NanoNetwork.

Commenting on this latest agreement, said Federal innovation minister Senator Kim Carr said: “I welcome the signing of this important agreement that will create further linkages and opportunities for Australian universities to engage with the rapidly expanding Chinese research sector.”

“Through partnership, we can explore the exciting opportunities now opening in the nanotechnology field.”

The centre is expected to focus on a number of key outcomes including the better diagnosis and treatment of cancer; and more effective purification of drinkable and waste waters.

Attending the signing ceremony in China, federal minister for tertiary education, Senator Chris Evans said that the agreement would help to strengthen ties between Chinese and Australian researchers and PhD students.

“This is a great example of the kind of cutting-edge research that can be undertaken when Australian and Chinese organisations work together.” “I am very pleased that Australian universities are engaging with their Chinese counterparts to build research and research training capacity, increasing their international linkages,” he said.

In August the Australia-China Nanoscience and Technology Centre was launched during the Shanghai World Expo, bringing together the CSIRO, the ARC Centre of Excellence for Functional Nanomaterials and two leading Chinese nanotechnology institutes.

Two months earlier Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping officially opened the Australia-China Joint Research Centre for Functional Molecular Materials at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra.

China is now Australia’s third ranked partner in scientific applications, also in terms of materials science including nanotechnology, with 13 percent of joint papers published in 2009 being in this field.