The European dimension
In March 2000 the Lisbon Council of Research Ministers set the following strategic goal for the European Union over the next decade: “To become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion”. There is little doubt that a major impact on a knowledge-based economy will arise from the social and economic effects of ‘DNA-knowledge’. The sequencing of the human genome is already altering the way people think about screening for genetic diseases and has greatly affected the direction of genetics and the search for disease alleles. The predicted demand by individuals to be able to determine their own DNA sequence has been recognised by US Genomics (a Company based in the United States), who have proposed a $30,000,000,000 market for a single molecule DNA sequencing device. It has also been quickly realised in the US that such a device would make an early and highly significant contribution to the development of Nanotechnology; consequently US Genomics have raised a research and development budget of $17,000,000 for their project. In order for Europe to compete successfully with the other main contributors to the area of Nanotechnology research (the US and Japan), it has been recognised that Nanoscience must play a significant role in future European research programmes. This project provides an innovative European alternative to the US Genomics project. The use of different molecular motors combined with novel detection systems provides Europe with an exciting competition to the US Genomics work and a strong position in the race for Nanotechnological devices. The proposed device, which could act as a single-molecule DNA sequencing device, has a huge potential as a nano-actuator in many novel nano-devices, from biosensors in a ‘Lab-on-a-chip’ system to a molecular switch linking the biological world and the silicon world. Such a nano-device is likely to be a stimulus to the European Nanotechnology industries.

Timing of the exploitation
Within the area of Nanotechnology it has also been recognised that the potential exists for developing novel devices that can be tailored to specific needs, which will be highly efficient and reliable. Such products are likely to create new markets and provide a dynamic and innovative industry within the EU.

The importance of DNA as an information store and the likely impact this knowledge base will have on screening for disease, on drug design and in many other areas has been well documented (Debouck and Goodfellow, 1999; Diehn et al., 2000; Henn, 1999; Zajtchuk, 1999) . The timeliness of this project is best revealed by the work of US Genomics. The US Science Community has fully realised the potential of Nanotechnology as the science of the 21st Century. This is illustrated in a recent article in Chemistry in Britain (February 2002 edition, page 16) in which the US Nanotechnology Industry is predicted to be valued at $25,000 million by 2012. The investment in a single molecule DNA sequencing device indicates awareness that growth in DNA knowledge is closely linked to the development of nanotechnological devices. Europe must use its resources to compete in this marketplace and this project provides an ideal opportunity for such competition. Therefore, this research can provide economic growth and consequent wealth by stimulating further the development of Nanotechnology.

Reasons for working at the European level
Nanotechnology also provides an interesting challenge for European research. It will require a cross-disciplinary approach to the research science (Fox, 2000) . EU-funded projects in this area will promote and strengthen collaboration across the various scientific disciplines. This project provides an excellent example of such collaboration. All members of the Consortium bring specific skills and facilities to the project. No single laboratory would be suitably equipped to carry out this work independently, nor does a single European Country have the wide-range of expertise required for this project. However, this Consortium does provide all of the above expertise in suitably equipped, world-renown research laboratories.

Relationship with EC policies
Nanotechnology has been recognised as having a huge potential for improving the quality of life by providing cheap, reliable new products that can interact with humans in unexpected ways. One obvious area that will impact greatly on the quality of life arises from the genome sequencing revolution and is often called “DNA knowledge”. The demand for better genetic screening, the demand for improved and targeted drugs, the likely demand for new treatments for genetic disorders (e.g. gene therapy) and the thirst for direct knowledge of one’s own genome sequence are all concepts that will grow during the 21st Century.

However, there are major ethical issues attached to such knowledge and enabling research in the area of Nanotechnology cannot be carried out in an isolated atmosphere. The members of this Consortium are also members of The NanoNet Nanotechnology Network (see http://www.nanonet.org.uk). The Consortium that we have ‘pulled together’ holds communication of the importance of Nanotechnology as a key aspect of the NanoNet-Network’s agenda. This will include an open forum for debating some of the ethical issues raised by developments in Nanotechnology. Therefore, this Consortium is well prepared to meet the EU agenda on Nanotechnology from many different viewpoints allowing expansion of collaborations in readiness for the 6th Framework (through the NanoNet Network) and enabling distribution of important information through the NanoNet Web-site.