£25,000 VENTURE PRIZE TO BE AWARDED TO HELP COMMERCIALISE EARLY
STAGE RESEARCH
An annual award to help scientists commercialise early stage research and
enable the exploitation of new and exciting ideas in the field of materials
science has been launched.

The £25,000 Venture Prize has been donated by the Armourers & Brasiers livery
company, a leading supporter of materials science education and research.
Applications are welcome from all British based materials scientists whether
linked to a major UK university department or working in industry.
Entries are open now and close at end January 2010.  Details can be obtained
from www.armourersandbrasiers.co.uk <http://www.armourersandbrasiers.co.uk/>  -
Venture Prize or emailing info@armourersandbrasiers.co.uk
<mailto:info@armourersandbrasiers.co.uk>  or calling 0207 374 4000
The 2009 winners were a team of scientists from the University of Liverpool led
by senior lecturer Dr Rachel Williams and senior lecturer in oral surgery, Dr
Luke Dawson.  This team is developing a cost effective nanoparticle silica
coating which can inhibit the build up of virulent oral thrush and potentially
bring relief to the estimated 3.5 million UK sufferers. Winning the £25,000
Armourers & Brasiers Venture Prize is allowing this project to proceed to
clinical evaluation.
"We want to stimulate and encourage British based materials science development
and are looking to reward people who have the ambition to turn innovative
scientific concepts and ideas into reality," said Professor Bill Bonfield
chairman of the Armourers & Brasiers Venture Prize judging panel. "We are
asking all entrants to submit an outline business plan showing the potential
for long term commercial success."

Chapman Medal

 For distinguished research in the field of biomedical materials, particularly with respect to biomaterials innovation which has produced benefits for patients and/or contributed to associated opportunities for industry. Awarded to Dr Dennis Smith, former Head of Biomaterials, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Canada, now retired, for his commitment to R&D. Dennis was a founding director of the Centre for Biomaterials at the University, where he sat on the Governing Council. In 2000, he became Chairman of the ISO Technical Committee on dentistry, a position he held for the five years until his retirement. His research interests lie in the bonding of materials to tissues.

The Chapman is presented annually for distinguished research in the field of biomedical materials, particularly with respect to biomaterials innovation, which has produced benefits for patients and/or contributed to associated opportunities for industry. Nominations will be made in particular by the Biomedical Applications Division but any individual can also make nominations by the standard procedure.