The competitions are for R&D support for collaborative projects (either industry/industry or industry/science base collaboration).The DTI has indicated that funds will be made available through the Technology Programme Collaborative R&D scheme for company-led R&D into Biopharmaceutical Bioprocessing.  The outline scope of the call given on the DTI website is:

Bioscience and Healthcare: Technologies for the Development and Manufacture of Biopharmaceuticals
Support for projects to develop novel technologies that would reduce the time to clinic or market of new biopharmaceuticals and/or lead to more cost efficient processes for the development and manufacture of protein therapeutics, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines and gene therapies"

Advance notice is being given so that companies will have more time to find partners than previously.  It is likely that the call will be officially announced on 2nd November at the Innovate 2006 conference & exhibition. More details about Collaborative R&D can be found HERE

Please sign up on the Technology Programme website HERE for access to documentation from previous competitions, you will also receive email announcements of competitions.

Technology Priorities for the Autumn 06 and Spring 07 Technology Programme competitions

Sustainable Production and Consumption

Projects supported will be expected to deliver highly significant improvements in resource efficiency together with substantial reductions in amount of industrial and commercial waste (covering solid, liquid and gaseous waste streams) to move business towards the so-called Zero Emissions Enterprise (ZEE). This competition builds on the previous ZEE challenge launched in April 2005. Assistance will be delivered in two stages, the first of which is a suite of short feasibility studies (5-months) and those able to demonstrate the potential to make significant change will be selected to progress to longer-term collaborative research and development projects in the second stage. Note that entry to the second stage is restricted to those applying to undertake feasibility studies.

Emerging Energy Technologies

Support for a relatively broad portfolio of low carbon technologies focusing on specific barriers that will need to be addressed if we are to accelerate the development of these technologies. The portfolio includes a range of renewable technologies, along with hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and intelligent grid management.

Bioscience and Healthcare

Support for projects to develop novel technologies that would reduce the time to clinic or market of new biopharmaceuticals and/or lead to more cost efficient processes for the development and manufacture of protein therapeutics, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines and gene therapies.

Advance Materials

Support for the development of lightweight materials and structures using a combination of lightweight materials and hollow or bonded structures. The scope will cover the production and processing of the material, the design, fabrication, and assembly of the structure. It will also cover issues related to performance in service and recyclability of the materials/structures.

Electronics and Photonics

Support for projects researching and developing new materials and processes that will facilitate low cost, low temperature (<150°C) and environmentally friendly materials and processes suitable for high-resolution patterning of substrates. These new materials and processes should be suitable for use with flexible or formable substrates. The materials and processes must also be suitable for creating the device architectures that will facilitate the future electronic, display and lighting products required in our increasingly IT-centric society.

Emerging Energy Technologies

Support for projects that focus on identifying additional and incremental hydrocarbon reserves, accessing reserves cost effectively, sustaining and improving existing production from mature fields and improving environmental performance.

Design Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing: Design Simulation and Modelling for Sustainability, Competitiveness and Quality of Life

Support for projects in the DEAM, Electronics & Photonics, Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) and Sustainable Production & Consumption (SPC) strategic areas which exploit novel approaches to:

-complex, dual element human-technology systems

-design for production, assembly, disassembly, re-use and re-cycling including associated services

-design for reliability, performance, availability and maintainability

-design, simulation and modelling of advanced systems and components including those at the micro- and nano-level

-new paradigms in simulation and visualisation with applications in production and in the creative industries

-new CAD tools and design methodologies

Electronics and Photonics:

Sensors and Imaging for medical, security and environmental applications. Support for projects addressing sensor and imaging applications in areas such as healthcare, security, environmental, transport (automotive, aerospace, etc), industrial manufacturing, construction, financial services, education, and power systems using molecular sensors, autonomous sensors, optical and wireless sensor networks or novel imaging techniques.