Spin-out floats
University spin-out company Syntopix was floated on the London Stock Exchange earlier this month. The company was founded in 2003 by Drs Jon Cove and Anne Eady from the Skin Research Centre. It was the first spin-out for the University’s commercialisation partner Techtran, with funding from the White Rose technology seedcorn fund. Syntopix combines tried and tested agents in new ways to create effective topical alternatives to antibiotics for skin conditions such as Staphylococcus aureus infection and acne. www.syntopix.com

Tackling German football
English football fans visiting Germany for the World Cup will know the difference between their Flatterball (swerving shot) and their Flugparade (acrobatic save), thanks to football fan and Bolton Wanderers supporter Professor Frank Finlay.

He’s helped produce a series of postcards explaining German football terms to England fans, including the Blutgrätsche (really horrible sliding tackle) and the Flügellauf (run down the wing). There is one card for each England player with a diagram showing how each one is likely to score: David Beckham is said to prefer the Freistoss (free kick), while Michael Owen's style of choice is abstauen (stealing a goal) and Rio Ferdinand likes to finish with a Schlenzer (bending shot).

Professor Finlay provided the translations to the German cultural institute who produced the cards as part of their latest campaign to persuade more Britons to learn German. Several thousand have already been sent to schools and universities. See the cards at: http://london.daad.de

Darling in the driving seat
Secretary of State for Transport, Alistair Darling, visited transport studies last week as part of a fact finding tour, looking at how driver behaviour and traffic conditions affect emissions and how traffic management and transport policy can improve air quality in urban streets.

Alistair Darling is pictured in the driving seat of the Institute’s ‘instrumented car’, a Ford Mondeo filled with hidden high-tech equipment which can monitor how you drive, how the engine and the vehicle itself respond to what you do, and how you and the car interact with other vehicles.

515 will be her last
After nearly ten years as Reporter editor, this issue will be the last for Vanessa Bridge, who takes up a new post as the University’s director of media relations.

“I’ve worked with some really talented people over the last decade, and we’ve produced a great magazine for our staff and external stakeholders.

“We’ve covered some terrific issues and stories, and I shall miss it enormously. But my new role is wonderful - a focus on national and international media, working closely with the Vice-Chancellor and helping the University enhance its reputation and achieve its strategic goals.”

The Reporter, and the University’s external website, will be run from a new communications office. The acting editor is David Pickering. Please continue to send all contributions to thereporter@ leeds.ac.uk, telephone ext 35764.

A critics’ critic
British bands often struggle to find success on the US music scene, but Simon Warner from the school of music has made his mark in America. He’s been invited to judge the music criticism awards for the US Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. This is the third year running he’ll be picking the best gig write-up or album review from the country’s lively alternative press circuit, including titles such as the Village Voice from New York or the San Francisco Bay Guardian.

Particular process
The Institute of Particle Science & Engineering (IPSE) at Leeds University and Malvern Instruments1 have formed a long-term partnership to launch ‘IntelliSense’. The initiative brings together the expertise of the internationally renowned research teams at IPSE, and the extensive scientific, technical and commercial skills within Malvern Instruments.

Particulate processing is a key operation in the manufacture of pharmaceutical, agro-chemical, dye and pigment, food, detergent, personal and speciality chemical products. It represents a huge business worldwide with a predicted growth factor of 5 to 10 over the next decade. Global competition is the driver for manufacturers to seek new solutions in the monitoring, control and management of their processes, these solutions must deliver step changes in cost and quality. Given the importance of this sector, particle processing is on the verge of a revolution in understanding, monitoring and control.

‘IntelliSense’ aims to further the basic science, stimulate, develop and nurture expertise and innovation through exchanging knowledge, and provide industrial relevance by targeting real commercial and industrial issues. The programme will encourage industrial input through seminars on key particulate measurement and control problems, and will seek to develop innovative solutions through collaborative projects. Using a combination of sensor development, measurement, multi-scale modelling and information technology, and a wide variety of research links, “IntelliSense” will help to deliver the next generation of sensors and control solutions. This is especially relevant to the emerging opportunities associated with Process Analytical Technology (PAT).

As part of ‘IntelliSense’, Dr Xue Z Wang, an existing member of the Leeds IPSE faculty, has been appointed to the new post of Malvern Reader in Intelligent Measurement and Control. Together with Technology Partnership Manager, Dr Richard Tweedie of Malvern Instruments, he will co-ordinate the activities of the ‘IntelliSense’ project.

Paul Walker, Managing Director of Malvern Instruments commented: “Particulate processing represents a large and growing business worldwide. Competitive and regulatory pressures are driving manufacturing industry to achieve documented improvements in cost and quality. This joint venture will contribute to the creation of new technologies and solutions, a process that will be aided by the establishment of international networks with major research centres around the world, the wider dissemination of information and transfer of knowledge. For us it is an exciting development, allowing Malvern to strengthen its ties with both the research community and the industries we serve.”

Prof. Richard Williams of Leeds University said: “The ‘IntelliSense’ project opens up a new collaborative platform, enabling industry to develop and apply both at- and in-line instrumentation and control systems in the manufacturing process.”

1Malvern Instruments (www.malvern.co.uk) is a leading supplier of analytical solutions for particle characterization and rheological applications. Malvern provides systems that measure material characterization data (size distribution, particle shape, zeta potential, molecular weight) and bulk material properties. The technologies used include laser diffraction, image analysis, laser Doppler electrophoresis, static and dynamic light scattering, and strain and stress controlled rheometry.

Charity’s peak challenge
Heart Research UK are inviting University staff to join the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge on Saturday June 17.
For the last nine years, hundreds of walkers have taken up the charity's challenge of tackling the county's three highest peaks - Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough - on a 26-mile walk, ascending 1,500 metres, and affording fantastic views over the Yorkshire Dales.

Fundraising manager Derek Edwards said: “Most of us have been touched by heart disease in some way or another and often many walkers raise money in memory of a loved one or in support of someone living with heart disease.

“We don’t charge an entry fee to take part, but simply ask walkers to raise as much sponsorship money as possible.”

And for those who don’t fancy the walk itself, the charity is also looking for volunteers to act as marshals or carry out other support roles on the day.

To register your interest, call 0113 234 7474 or email info@heartresearch.org.uk Entry forms can be downloaded from www.heartresearch.org.uk/three_peaks.htm

Music for the children
An evening of music and drama organised by the language centre will raise money for a Vietnamese orphanage and a Costa Rican school.

The centre has forged links with the Cahors orphanage in Hoi An, Vietnam, which provides shelter, food and English lessons for 30 children, while the Cepia project in Huacas, Costa Rica, offers education, cultural activities and psychological support to young people from poor backgrounds.

The night of entertainment - dubbed Kabaret Karma - starts at 8pm on Friday April 21 at the new Mine bar at the students’ union. Tickets priced £4 (£3 for students) are available from the centre reception or by emailing artistsagainstpoverty@yahoo.co.uk