The nanosciences are destined to be the foundation stone for the key technologies of the 21st century. On the way into this future, the results of basic research have to be translated into applications and products. The partners in the nano-excellence cluster are hoping for an economic and social effect similar to the one brought about by Silicon Valley in the U.S. The idea is for the Rhine Valley is to become "Nano Valley".

Set up in 2001 as the DFG-Forschungszentrum (DSG Research Center) and now augmented to become an excellence cluster, the CFN has concentrated on optical and electronic functions up to now. The use of biological principles for the manufacture of functional nanomaterials was explored to a much lesser extent. Now, the researchers have the life sciences in their sights.

Their aim is to insert nanoparticles into cells to enable new analytic methods and to be able to manipulate the cells. In addition, they are controlling the growth behaviour of cells by means of surroundings structures on the nano scale and are thus trying to combine functional cell elements in order to assemble transporters for chemical reactions.

The participants are:
- University of Karlsruhe (Sprecherhochschule)
- Forschungszentrum (Research Centre) Karlsruhe

Further information at:

http://www.exzellenz-initiative.de/karlsruhe-funktionelle-nanostrukturen