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LINK
What is it?
The LINK scheme is the Government's principal mechanism for promoting partnership in pre-competitive research between industry and the research base. It aims to stimulate innovation, wealth creation and improve the quality of life. The scheme offers an opportunity to tackle new scientific and technological challenges so that industry can go on to develop innovative and commercially successful products, processes and services.
Who can apply?
Companies and research organisations throughout the UK can participate in LINK projects. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly encouraged to get involved. Multinationals can also participate provided they have a significant manufacturing and research operation in the UK, and the benefits of research are exploited in the UK or European Economic Area. All LINK projects must involve at least one company and one research base organisation. Research base partners can be universities, or other centres of research excellence such as Research Council Institutes, Government Research Agencies, Hospitals and independent research organisations.
How much does the company pay?
Government Departments and Research Councils provide up to 50% of the total eligible costs of a LINK project with the balance of support coming from industry. The level of funding available to each participant will depend on the costs directly attributable to the project.
When can you apply?
The deadlines for submissions of projects vary between the different LINK programmes, therefore, see the individual programme details.
Further details
LINK Directorate
Helpline: 020 7215 0053 (Answerphone)
Fax: 020 7215 0054
Email: link.ost@gtnet.gov.uk
• www.ost.gov.uk/link
Open bioscience related LINK programmes
• Health Technology Devices Programme
The programme will focus on areas with potential to lead on to significant benefits, including:
- trauma care and tissue engineering;
- improvement to disease diagnosis;
- rehabilitation devices for use on or by patients;
- therapeutic devices to aid patient recovery;
- software to achieve improved performance of medical devices;
- non-pharmaceutical technologies that assist provision of healthcare.
• Bioremediation
Commercial application of bioscience for the clean-up of contaminated land, air and water. The following focus areas have been identified for the programme:
- understanding and exploiting natural attenuation
- engineered in situ bioremediation
- scale-up to field conditions
- positioning bioremediation within a risk assessment framework
- monitoring of, and constraints on in situ microbial processes
- integrating bioremediation with other technologies
- Human Health impacts and Socio-economic considerations
• Applied Genomics
The main goal of this new LINK programme is to support the development of platform technologies that will enable UK healthcare companies to harness and exploit the output of genome sequencing projects and developments in genomics.
• Genetic and Environmental Interactions in Health
This LINK programme aims to develop collaborations between academia and industry in genetics, molecular/genetic epidemiology, pharmacogenetics and complementary disciplines and technologies.
Dr Rob Lang, MRC
20 Park Crescent, London, W1N 4AL
Telephone: 020 7636 5422
Email: rob.lang@HEADOFFICE.MRC.ac.uk
• Integrated Approaches to Healthy Ageing
This LINK programme aims to improve understanding of psychological, physiological and social factors affecting good or ill health in old age. It also aims to develop new ways of supporting healthy ageing and independent living and to develop new approaches to the prevention, management and rehabilitation of disorders affecting the elderly.
Dr Rob Lang, MRC
20 Park Crescent, London, W1N 4AL
Telephone: 020 7636 5422
Email: rob.lang@HEADOFFICE.MRC.ac.uk
• Sustainable Technologies Initiative
The programme will cover all aspects of industrial sustainability including sustainable manufacturing, sustainable products, sustainable design and sustainable resource use. Projects will focus on improving technologies at the design stage rather than cleaning up waste at the end-of-pipe stage.
Basic Technologies for Industrial Applications (www.basictechnologies.gov.uk)
The DTI has committed £25M to a new programme in Basic Technologies for Industrial Applications (BTIA) which will support a number of applied research projects and technology transfer activities. Basic technologies are:
• Technologies capable of making step-change improvements in product and process applications;
• Technologies relevant to my applications of high benefit across a number of sectors.
The programme is not limited to certain scientific areas, if technologies fit the above criteria they may be considered under the programme. Basic technologies including the biosciences might come from areas such as bionanotechnology, sensors, imaging and human/machine interfaces.
The BTIA programme will support industry in bringing new and existing technologies into future products and processes, developing new industries and increasing industry’s capacity to absorb technology.
There are two sub-programmes under BTIA:
• Link BTIA programme – support for high quality applied research projects (deadline for outline proposals under the 1st call is the 7th November) – Full proposal submissions up to 2oth February 2003.
• BTIA Technology Transfer Programme – support for technology transfer and awareness activities (deadline for expressions of interest under the first call is the 4th November 2002)
For further information, use the programme helpline on Tel: 0845 275 2222, or email: info@basictechnologies.gov.uk
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