Project
The METRC Centre combines the expertise of 8 universities in the area of soft nanotechnology research and applies this to industry.
This is in a range of markets, including home and personal care, medicine and energy. Since 2007 METRC have generated over £10 million of research income and worked with over 80 business, including Phase Focus Ltd.
Phase Focus is a company set up to exploit revolutionary technology from Sheffield University. The technology, called the Phase Focus Virtual Lens®, has the potential to revolutionise the optical, x-ray and electron microscopy market, but first the company needed to prove the concept.
Partners
Delivery
The Virtual Lens transfers the task of microscope image formation from lenses to a computer algorithm. This has enormous potential in the £180m Life Science R&D optical microscopy market and £450m Pharmaceutical Cellular Assay market.
Delivery
The Virtual Lens transfers the task of microscope image formation from lenses to a computer algorithm. This has enormous potential in the £180m Life Science R&D optical microscopy market and £450m Pharmaceutical Cellular Assay market.
Impact
The Virtual Lens eliminates the need for a lens inside a microscope. This not only eliminates the restrictions and performance limitations of conventional microscope lenses, but also enables a range of new and improved applications. One new application is the ability to conduct high contrast imaging of cells without the use of chemical staining agents which can destroy the cells. This has the potential to have a huge impact in medical and pharmaceutical research.
Success
In May 2010 Phase Focus announced it had raised a total of £370,000 to help take the company through its first commercial deals.
Testimonial
“N8 via its METRC virtual lab has been instrumental in helping us prove the concept. Their support enabled us to form a partnership with an academic at the University of York who will conduct the scientific work needed to help confirm that the VL (virtual lens) will address the needs of the Life Science and Pharmaceutical industries.“
Ian L. Pyykett, Chief Executive Officer, Phase Focus Ltd