Invitrogen Corp. is making big room for nano companies. The Carlsbad-based biotechnology company recently announced its acquisition of Quantum Dot Corp. of Hayward and the BioPixels unit of BioCrystal Ltd. based in Ohio.
Invitrogen has made its business out of creating research products used by other biotech companies and academic research labs. They provide life science technologies for disease research, drug discovery and commercial biproduction. Chief Executive Officer, Gregory Lucier has led the way in expanding the company's product line via acquisitions.
These purchases are making Invitrogen a source to be recognized in the field of molecular probes, which enables researchers to track what is going on inside cells. With the purchase of Quantum Dot, Invitrogen has expanded its reach into the area of nanotechnology. It’s worth pointing out that the word “nanotechnology” has become very popular and is used to describe many types of research where the characteristic dimensions are less than about 1,000 nanometers.
In addition, Invitrogen announced it has secured an exclusive license for nanocluster technology from Georgia Tech Research Corp. Invitrogen says that the combination of the acquisition and the license will help it create new products for the visualization and understanding of cellular processes, molecular interactions and other factors essential for diagnosing and treating disease.
Nanocrystals, the minute semiconductor particles that Quantum Dot makes which can serve as molecular probes, not only serve as medical devices but also as non-medical assistors. Outside of medical applications, nanocrystals could become an anti-counterfeiting measure in currency, according to Augie Sick, general manager of Invitrogen’s molecular probes division in Eugene, Oregon. This is because bills embedded with nanocrystals would fluoresce in a characteristic fashion. Sick goes on to say that such nonbiological applications would be developed with a partner.
Invitrogen has made its business out of creating research products used by other biotech companies and academic research labs. They provide life science technologies for disease research, drug discovery and commercial biproduction. Chief Executive Officer, Gregory Lucier has led the way in expanding the company's product line via acquisitions.
These purchases are making Invitrogen a source to be recognized in the field of molecular probes, which enables researchers to track what is going on inside cells. With the purchase of Quantum Dot, Invitrogen has expanded its reach into the area of nanotechnology. It’s worth pointing out that the word “nanotechnology” has become very popular and is used to describe many types of research where the characteristic dimensions are less than about 1,000 nanometers.
In addition, Invitrogen announced it has secured an exclusive license for nanocluster technology from Georgia Tech Research Corp. Invitrogen says that the combination of the acquisition and the license will help it create new products for the visualization and understanding of cellular processes, molecular interactions and other factors essential for diagnosing and treating disease.
Nanocrystals, the minute semiconductor particles that Quantum Dot makes which can serve as molecular probes, not only serve as medical devices but also as non-medical assistors. Outside of medical applications, nanocrystals could become an anti-counterfeiting measure in currency, according to Augie Sick, general manager of Invitrogen’s molecular probes division in Eugene, Oregon. This is because bills embedded with nanocrystals would fluoresce in a characteristic fashion. Sick goes on to say that such nonbiological applications would be developed with a partner.