DTI hands out £60m funding for science & technology research

Aims to boost innovation in the UK across a range of sectors

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has issued £60m of funding to 56 different science and technology projects, with the aim of boosting innovation in the UK.

The projects range from stem cell applications for therapeutic medicine to new types of renewable energy technology and include about £10m for inter-enterprise computing.

For instance, computational science firm Accelrys received £1.5m in funding for a large scale computer simulation of the physical properties of certain materials, while the Met Office will get £2.2m for applying web services to environmental forecast information.

The grants are part of the UK's drive to promote innovation and help companies, research organisations and universities to exploit potential applications of new technologies.

'This government is backing business to help take the innovative ideas and technologies out of the lab and into the market, creating prosperity for the UK,' said Lord Sainsbury, minister for science and innovation.

The seven priority technology areas to receive funding include:

• * £16.6m for technologies to support environmentally-friendly transport
• * £10.2m for inter-enterprise computing
• * £9.3m for renewable technologies
• * £7.2m for sensor and control systems
• * £6.1m for bio processing
• * £5.4m for advanced composite materials and structures
• * £4.0m for disruptive technologies in electronics and displays
• * £9m of additional funding has also been awarded to establish knowledge transfer networks in these areas
• This new Government investment will provide grants between 25 per cent and 75 per cent for collaborative projects, while knowledge transfer networks are funded at 100 per cent.