Nanomag, the research project in which the University of Cantabria (UC) participates along with another 17 institutions, has begun to unfold this week with the celebration of the first meeting, which was held in Gothenburg (Sweden) on November 18th and 19th.

Funded by the European Union (FP7) with a total budget of 11.5 Million Euros, the object of the project is to standardize the use of magnetic nanoparticles (iron oxides) in the field of biomedicine, especially in magnetic resonance imaging, transportation of medicine and cancer treatment by hyperthermia, all involving a strong technological transfer. Participation from national metrology centres is essential for this purpose.

The project was awarded to a consortium of 18 institutions, in which the UC Magnetism Group participates (Department of Earth Sciences and Condensed Matter Physics - CITIMAC), together with other universities, research centres, companies and national metrology services.

The predicted duration of the work is 4 years and the Magnetism Group will have remarkable influence in the characterization and analysis of the magnetic properties of nanoparticles, in some commercial references as well as those produced within the consortium. Postdoctoral researchers who will work in the UC Magnetism Laboratory and in large international X-ray and neutron facilities are expected to be contracted. The study is fundamentally experimental and applied but it will also include computer simulations.

Participants in the Consortium are: Swedish ICT Research AB (Sweden), University College London (United Kingdom), Uppsala Universitet (Sweden), CSIC-ICMM (Spain), Micromod Partikeltechnologie Gmbh (Germany), Danmark Tekniske Universitet (Denmark), University of Cantabria (Spain), Chalmers Tekniska Hoegskola AB (Sweden), Bundesanstalt Fuer Materialforschung und Pruefung (Germany), Technische Universitaet Braunschweig (Germany), Nanopet Pharma Gmbh (Germany), Solve Research & Consultancy AB (Sweden), Universitaet zu Luebeck (Germany)Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (Netherlands), Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (Germany), SP Sveriges Tekniska Provinings AB (Sweden), NPL Management Limited (United Kingdom), Acreo Swedish ICT AB (Sweden).