Brussels, 24/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - The ability to take precise measurements in delicate areas is vitally important to our quality of life. This is why a new science centre with the mission to create standards for measurements in sectors such as life sciences, was opened in Geel, Belgium, on Tuesday 23 November by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC).
At the opening ceremony, the European commissioner with responsibility for research, Máire Geoghegan Quinn, said: “From buying food in the supermarket to undergoing clinical tests, European citizens depend on measurements and testing to be as accurate and harmonised as possible. This is particularly important for emerging technologies, such as genetic testing and nanotechnology”. The commissioner went on to state that “this new facility will enable the European Commission's Joint Research Centre to remain at the forefront of measurement science, by developing internationally-recognised measurement standards that are used as benchmarks in analytical laboratories across Europe and worldwide”.
The new facility will be used to develop and create reference materials, which possess a precisely-known property and are the basis for complex measurements, such as the amount of genetically modified maize or the number of bacteria in a food sample. The total cost of the facility is €11 million, 4.5 million of which will be paid for out of the revenue from the JRC's reference material activities.
The reference materials developed and produced at the JRC's Institute of Reference Materials on Measurements (IRMM) provide laboratories around the world with a benchmark to deliver accurate, harmonised and traceable results and help implement legislation through accurate and reliable testing, also in emerging areas such as molecular bioscience and personalised medicine.
The building which was opened on Tuesday features a large and flexible production hall, which brings together processing and measuring equipment in an innovative manner. It will provide Europe with a unique facility for the development and production of reference materials, bridging the gap between laboratory and industrial scale. The new building also houses laboratories for the analysis of heavy metals and proteins and a special laboratory for the safe handling of biomaterials. (O.L./transl.fl)