Fp7: Energy (Finland)

Contact

Matjaž Polak, Ph.D.
Lek, a Sandoz Company
Verovškova 57
1526 Ljubljana, SLOVENIA
Phone: [phone]
GSM: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
FP7: NMP (Croatia, 05.03.)

Funding Source/Programme

The Divison of Materials Chemistry (Laboratory for Precipitation Processes) of our Institute would like to participate in any new FP7 project proposal within the framework of following topics of "Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials & new production technologies":
 
4.2.3.-1 Highly porous bioactive scaffolds favouring angiogenesis for tissue engineering

Description

Rudjer Boskovic Institute
Rudjer Boskovic Institute (RBI) is the largest Croatian research centre in sciences and science applications. In the multi-disciplinary environment of the Institute more than 500 academic staff and graduate students work on problems in experimental and theoretical physics, chemistry and physics of materials, organic and physical chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology and medicine, environmental and marine research and computer science and electronics. Within Croatia, RBI is a national institution dedicated to research, higher education and provision of support to the academic community, to state and local governments and to technology-based industry. Within the European Union, RBI forms a part of the European Research Area. Worldwide, RBI collaborates with many research institutions and universities upholding the same values and vision.

Laboratory for Precipitation Processes
The aim of the research that has been undertaken in the Laboratory for Precipitation Processes (LPP) for last 40 years is to investigate precipitation mechanisms of sparingly soluble biocompatible ionic salts and related materials, to find generic regularities that condition physical-chemical properties and prove that these properties depend on both thermodynamic and kinetic factors. At that, special attention has been given to the role of precursor phases on the properties of final product (thermodynamically stable modifications), as well as on the influence of the additives, large organic molecules and/or polyelectrolytes in particular, which can affect nucleation, growth and aging of precipitate at very low concentrations.

Each of the model systems that has been investigated in details (carbonates, phosphates and oxalates of calcium, magnesium ammonium phosphates, layered double hydroxides – LDH) can precipitate in the form of polymorphs, hydrates and chemically different compounds: apart from an inherent significance for the pure academic studies, these systems are also of practical importance because of their potential application. Thus, it is to be expected that the results of investigations of calcium carbonates' interactions with natural acid glycoproteins and synthetic analogues (acid poly-amino acids) will contribute to the development of preparation methods of composite biomaterials with exceptional mechanical properties.

Likewise, the studies of porous calcium carbonate, hydroxyapatite and LDH, into which different groups of model organic molecules (polysaccharides, polypeptides, nucleic acids) are absorbed, will contribute to the development of inorganic systems for a controlled release of active molecules in body. Besides, cognition on the conditions at which precipitation and transformation of calcium oxalates and magnesium (ammonium) phosphates take place (constituents of urinary calculi), will be a theoretical base and supplement to the clinical and epidemiological studies.

Most of the equipment necessary for described investigations is available in the LPP: electronic and laser (DLS) particle size analyzers, thermobalance, specific surface area analyzer, FT-IR spectrometer, UV-VIS spectrophotometer, ion chromatography, pH-stat and chemi-stat controllers as well as different types of potentiometers and conductometers equiped with respective sensors (electrodes). The other equipment is available at RBI.

Contact

Dr. Damir Kralj
Head of Laboratory for Precipitation Processes
Phone : + 385 1 4561 111
[e-mail]

FP7: Regions of Knowledge (Norway, 05.03.)

Funding Source/Programme

Regions of Knowledge

Description

Finnmark University College and Norut NIBR Finnmark have during the last years taken part in a regional development partnership with Finnmark County, Innovation Norway and industrial partners. Main topics of co-operation have been cluster development and networks within Tourism, Seafood (blue mussels, sea urchins, King Crabs) and breeding of marine species (cod, arctic char). The cooperation has also had the more general aim of developing of more efficient regional innovation system and bringing the benefits of research to small enterprises.

Finnmark is situated in the extreme North East of the country. Of all the counties, it has the largest area and the fewest inhabitants. Its mainland stretches as far North as to the peninsula Kinnarodden and as far East as to the island of Hornøya i Vardø municipality. Finnmark borders on the Arctic Ocean, The Barent Sea, Finland, Russia and Troms County.

We are especially interested in taking parts in networks and projects within the theme "Research and rural economies including economies undergoing structural changes", but also projects dealing with bringing the benefits of research to especially small enterprises could be of interest.

Finnmark County Key Figures:

Area: 48.649 km2.
Population: 73.210.
Municipalities: 19.
Primary industries: Fishing, fish processing, sea farming, travel, reindeer herding, mining, tourism and services.

Contact

Research coordinator/project leader Lars Krogh
Finnmark University College
Follums vei
N-9509 Alta
[e-mail]
Cell. Ph: [phone]
FP7: Regions of Knowledge (France, 05.03.)