HERE in the UK, we have been enduring the annual round of misery known as Budget Day. Along with the inescapable increases in taxes for anybody that drinks, smokes, drives, or for that matter breathes, these austere times also bring cuts in services and support for industry.
But what do we see this year? Why, it looks as if there is actually some good news for our sector, for a change. Chancellor (finance minister) George Osborne included a couple of provisions directed at research and development. First is an ‘above the line’ tax credit arrangement that allows qualifying R&D expenditure to claim a refund of at least 9.1% from the government, along with the introduction of a ‘patent box’ that reduces tax on profits from intellectual property – ie, the output of R&D. Second, up to £60 million is allocated to a new aerospace research institution to be located at several centres, to stimulate new technologies in this growing sector of manufacturing.
So, good news then? Well, up to a point. The few million for aerospace is supposed to help restore balance after a couple of billion was removed from research funding in 2010. That 50% cut, appropriately enough described as ‘savage’ by the Campaign for Science and Engineering, still leaves the UK research sector much worse off and with little prospect of improvement. Meanwhile Germany has increased its R&D funding this year by 10%, and China by 26%.
So what of the new R&D-related tax arrangements? This has to be welcomed, even if it is rather little and rather late. Nevertheless it appears to be paying dividends already: within 24 hours of its announcement, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies announced a £500 million investment that will create 500 jobs. GlaxoSmithKline says it was persuaded by the new tax arrangements, and would build its first new factory in the country for nearly 40 years.
Now, excuse me for being cynical, but really? A multinational company, the fifth most valuable on the London Stock Exchange and the third largest pharmaceutical firm in the world, takes less than a day to make such a momentous decision and reverse the policy of decades?
It all seems rather too fast, and too neat, for my taste. But surely bosses of GSK couldn’t have had inside knowledge of the contents of the budget before it was announced to parliament? That would be, well, unthinkable!
I hope you find the LabHomepage website, and this weekly newsletter, useful. Comments and feedback are always welcome: thesecretlabproject@gmail.com. Please help us build our circulation base by forwarding this to any friends that might like it, and suggest they subscribe at http://eepurl.com/itOV2
best wishes
Russ Swan
editor, LabHomepage.com
This week’s top stories: 23 March 2012
1. 3D video microscopy using a single lens
THE FASHION for 3D presentations in cinema may be waning, but in the laboratory sector there remains much excitement about the possibilities presented by the technology. Today sees the announcement of a deal to create a new stereoscopic microscope digital video system…
http://labhomepage.com/1231/microscope/3d-video-microscopy-using-a-single-lens
2. Design a molecule, win an iPad
CAN YOU design a molecule biologically similar to, but not the same as, a specified reference compound? The task isn’t quite as easy as simply swapping an atom or two…
http://labhomepage.com/1215/competition/design-a-molecule-win-an-ipad
3. Handbook details scanning probe microscopy accessories
A NEW catalogue of accessories for its scanning probe microscopy (SPM) systems including the NanoWizard, ForceRobot, and CellHesion has been published by JPK Instruments. Available in printed and digital…
http://labhomepage.com/1219/microscope/handbook-details-scanning-probe-microscopy-accessories
4. Microarray combines aCGH probes with SNP content
THE LATEST addition to Oxford Gene Technology’s microarray range promises accurate and economical detection of copy number changes and loss of heterozygosity, all on a single array…
http://labhomepage.com/1237/genomics/microarray-combines-acgh-probes-with-snp-content
5. HIV research pioneer is keynote speaker at xMap 2012
LUMINEX has announced the first details of its 2012 Planet xMap symposium, the tenth in the series. Dr Jean William Pape, director and founder of the Gheskio Centres in Haiti, will deliver a…
http://labhomepage.com/1262/proteomics/hiv-research-pioneer-is-keynote-speaker-at-xmap-2012
6. How to evaporate solvents from DNA and other specimens
THE REMOVAL of water and organic solvents from samples of DNA, RNA, and other biological specimens is a slightly more delicate task than the average laboratory procedure…
http://labhomepage.com/1275/nucleic-acid/how-to-evaporate-solvents-from-dna-and-other-specimens
7. Syringe filters promise better sample prep
A REVAMPED range of single-use syringe filters from Thermo Fisher should make sample preparation in the laboratory more reliable process. Previously known as…
http://labhomepage.com/1270/chromatography/syringe-filters-promise-better-sample-prep
8. UV transilluminator needs little space
SPACE on the lab bench seems to always be at a premium, and as a result many equipment manufacturers promote their products on their small physical size. Latest to join the trend is…
http://labhomepage.com/1253/imaging/uv-transilluminator-needs-little-space
9. Faster tools for food safety and fish identification
A NEW project to verify the accuracy of food labelling, and to quickly identify strains of salmonella, will see Agilent Technologies develop new tests based on mass spectrometry and lab-on-chip…
http://labhomepage.com/1209/mass-spectrometry/faster-tools-for-food-safety-and-fish-identification
10. Digital pathology software now includes stereology
GAINING valuable information about 3D features from 2D tissue sections makes stereology a valuable tool in the modern pathology laboratory. Now Definiens has expanded its…
http://labhomepage.com/1204/pathology/digital-pathology-software-now-includes-stereology
LabHomepage is the indispensible internet resource for laboratory professionals, carrying news and information about the instruments, technology, and applications of science at the cutting edge of today’s industry
LabHomepage Newsletter 5: 23 March 2012
HERE in the UK, we have been enduring the annual round of misery known
as Budget Day. Along with the inescapable increases in taxes for
anybody that drinks, smokes, drives, or for that matter breathes, these
austere times also bring cuts in services and support for industry.
But what do we see this year? Why, it looks as if there is actually
some good news for our sector, for a change. Chancellor (finance
minister) George Osborne included a couple of provisions directed at
research and development. First is an ‘above the line’ tax credit
arrangement that allows qualifying R&D expenditure to claim a refund of
at least 9.1% from the government, along with the introduction of a
‘patent box’ that reduces tax on profits from intellectual property –
ie, the output of R&D. Second, up to £60 million is allocated to a new
aerospace research institution to be located at several centres, to
stimulate new technologies in this growing sector of manufacturing.
So, good news then? Well, up to a point. The few million for aerospace
is supposed to help restore balance after a couple of billion was
removed from research funding in 2010. That 50% cut, appropriately
enough described as ‘savage’ by the Campaign for Science and
Engineering, still leaves the UK research sector much worse off and
with little prospect of improvement. Meanwhile Germany has increased
its R&D funding this year by 10%, and China by 26%.
So what of the new R&D-related tax arrangements? This has to be
welcomed, even if it is rather little and rather late. Nevertheless it
appears to be paying dividends already: within 24 hours of its
announcement, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies
announced a £500 million investment that will create 500 jobs.
GlaxoSmithKline says it was persuaded by the new tax arrangements, and
would build its first new factory in the country for nearly 40 years.
Now, excuse me for being cynical, but really? A multinational company,
the fifth most valuable on the London Stock Exchange and the third
largest pharmaceutical firm in the world, takes less than a day to make
such a momentous decision and reverse the policy of decades?
It all seems rather too fast, and too neat, for my taste. But surely
bosses of GSK couldn’t have had inside knowledge of the contents of the
budget before it was announced to parliament? That would be, well,
unthinkable!
I hope you find the LabHomepage website, and this weekly newsletter,
useful. Comments and feedback are always welcome:
thesecretlabproject@gmail.com. Please help us build our circulation
base by forwarding this to any friends that might like it, and suggest
they subscribe at http://eepurl.com/itOV2
best wishes
Russ Swan
editor, LabHomepage.com
This week’s top stories: 23 March 2012
1. 3D video microscopy using a single lens
THE FASHION for 3D presentations in cinema may be waning, but in the
laboratory sector there remains much excitement about the possibilities
presented by the technology. Today sees the announcement of a deal to
create a new stereoscopic microscope digital video system…
2. Design a molecule, win an iPad
CAN YOU design a molecule biologically similar to, but not the same as,
a specified reference compound? The task isn’t quite as easy as simply
swapping an atom or two…
3. Handbook details scanning probe microscopy accessories
A NEW catalogue of accessories for its scanning probe microscopy (SPM)
systems including the NanoWizard, ForceRobot, and CellHesion has been
published by JPK Instruments. Available in printed and digital…
4. Microarray combines aCGH probes with SNP content
THE LATEST addition to Oxford Gene Technology’s microarray range
promises accurate and economical detection of copy number changes and
loss of heterozygosity, all on a single array…
5. HIV research pioneer is keynote speaker at xMap 2012
LUMINEX has announced the first details of its 2012 Planet xMap
symposium, the tenth in the series. Dr Jean William Pape, director and
founder of the Gheskio Centres in Haiti, will deliver a…
6. How to evaporate solvents from DNA and other specimens
THE REMOVAL of water and organic solvents from samples of DNA, RNA, and
other biological specimens is a slightly more delicate task than the
average laboratory procedure…
7. Syringe filters promise better sample prep
A REVAMPED range of single-use syringe filters from Thermo Fisher
should make sample preparation in the laboratory more reliable process.
Previously known as…
8. UV transilluminator needs little space
SPACE on the lab bench seems to always be at a premium, and as a result
many equipment manufacturers promote their products on their small
physical size. Latest to join the trend is…
9. Faster tools for food safety and fish identification
A NEW project to verify the accuracy of food labelling, and to quickly
identify strains of salmonella, will see Agilent Technologies develop
new tests based on mass spectrometry and lab-on-chip…
10. Digital pathology software now includes stereology
GAINING valuable information about 3D features from 2D tissue sections
makes stereology a valuable tool in the modern pathology laboratory.
Now Definiens has expanded its…
-About LabHomepage-
LabHomepage is the indispensible internet resource for laboratory
professionals, carrying news and information about the instruments,
technology, and applications of science at the cutting edge of today’s
industry
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