NCL Partnerships - NIST

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

The interface of the physical and life sciences shows extreme promise for technological breakthroughs. After a 100-year history in quantitative physical measurements, NIST (http://www.NIST.gov/) engages in partnerships with industry, academia, and other government agencies to advance biosciences research, enable new health care technologies, and to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care delivery systems and processes. World-class research facilities, coupled with key competencies in the physical sciences, engineering, information technology and, especially, nanotechnology, make NIST a unique and valuable resource to the bioscience community.

As an agency of the Technology Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce, NIST is charged with developing and promoting measurement, standards, and technology to enhance productivity, facilitate trade, and improve the quality of life . The mission is carried out intramurally through scientific research in seven major laboratories, as well as extramurally, with three programs in close collaboration with U.S. industry: Advanced Technology Program, Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and Baldrige National Quality Program.

NIST intramural scientists and engineers number over 1,000 including two recent Nobel Prize winners. The Advanced Measurement Laboratory, a 500,000 square foot, $280 million research facility with a modern nanofabrication cleanroom, is just one of NIST’s unique, research resources available to partners.

Under the auspices of the NCL, NIST will work closely with NCI and FDA to develop quantitative, reproducible measurement methods and protocols for nanoparticle characterization. NIST will bring the physical characterization to the partnerships. NIST will actively engage in program planning and execution for the NCL and all associated workshops and meetings. Finally, NIST scientists will vigorously collaborate with NCI and FDA researchers to determine the best measurement tools, protocols, and analysis algorithms for physically characterizing nanoparticles.