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A new report from Lux Research investigates the value of industry/university partnerships for research in nanotechnology.

Researchers usually don't complain about their working conditions, but they aren't keen on working in run-down labs. Trouble is, it is getting more expensive to build new facilities.

This week, from May 22 to May 27, the World Health Organisation (WHO) holds its Annual Assembly meeting in Geneva, which brings together representatives from all 192 member countries. As usual for such an august gathering, it will cover a wide variety of topics, including the controversial issue of intellectual property.

I had an interesting meeting with a senior executive in charge of strategy and business development at one of the major European media groups last Friday.

On May 12, it was announced that that an "innovative", "homegrown" digital signal processor (DSP) chip, to be designed and manufactured in China, was a fraud. Even more interesting is that the announcement was made by not by a Western agency or international body, but by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU).

Not only am I an ardent tracker of the IP landscape, but the opportunity to build a much-needed knowledge network with the leading European producers and consumers of IP is unique and irresistible.

The US Supreme Court has issued a long-awaited verdict in a patent suit between eBay and a small, Virginia-based company, MercExchange. The ruling was unanimous and favourable to eBay, reverting an earlier permanent injunction.

I recently had the opportunity to take part on an investor panel at the Total Telecom World Telecommunications Congress in Geneva. The panel featured both happy VCs behind new telecommunication technologies (VoIP, IP convergence etc…) and troubled telecom executives.

Nanochips will mess up the physics of electronics, so a bunch of universities will research ways to keep chips on the shrinking bandwagon.

Tracking goods by Radio Frequency Identification is said to be the next big market for wireless communication. But some in the field doubt the technology is mature enough.

Greek scientists have developed a way of coating the films used to package foods and drugs, and are now looking for partnerships with companies.

Researchers who have invented a device that measures the amount of warping in stone-clad construction are now ready to share their know-how.

A nagging political question still hovers over the EU funding debate: should the roughly €54 billion be spent exclusively on Europe's established crème de la scientific crème?

Every little bit helps if you are a start up looking for market opportunities. Launchpad Europe has a methodology and a proposition.

Cancer Research UK plans to rescue viable compounds stuck on the shelves of pharma and biotech companies.