Report: U.S. could 'surrender' nanotechnology lead

The United States "stands to surrender its global lead" in nanotechnology research, unless federal officials and lawmakers do more to encourage investment, a report delivered to President Barack Obama found.

Currently, the United States is at the front of the pack, bolstered by an 18 percent increase in public and private investments in nanotechnology between 2003 and 2008, according to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), which released the report last week.

But countries like China and South Korea, as well as the European Union, are now posting strong gains in the nanotechnology field, researchers found. While the United States still holds more nanotechnology patents than any other country, China outpaced American researchers last year in its number of patent applications, according to the report.

Consequently, PCAST warns that the United States' lead in the industry remains "threatened," and it recommends federal officials take quick, decisive action to spur growth in the field.

Among other recommendations, the PCAST report calls for an increase in private nanotechnology research dollars, which totaled $5.7 billion in 2008.

The study also makes the case for more federal monies to fund nanotechnology development, as the U.S. government since 2005 has spent far less on the industry than countries in the European Union, as well as South Korea, Japan and China.

“It is important not only to continue increasing the Federal investment in environmental, health, and safety research but to do so in a coordinated way so the most important questions are answered first,” said Ed Penhoet, co-chair of PCAST’s National Nanotechnology Initiative Working Group.

"That approach will ensure safety, bolster public confidence, and provide a clear path to market for new companies and their products.” 

The report further calls for new incentives to ensure talented scientists and researchers do not depart the United States once they complete their education and training, and a new emphasis on commercializing those nanotechnology products.

“Our early investments in nanotechnology have brought us to the point where the science is being translated into important new products in health, electronics, energy, defense and other fields,” said Maxine Savitz, the PCAST working group's co-chair.

“Going forward we need to place even more emphasis on the commercialization of the technology -- through, for example, strategic funding of nanomanufacturing -- supported by improved measures of the true value-added that nano products can bring to our economy,” she added.

---