Forensic
Science Service secures funding to help the international fight against
crime
The Forensic
Science Service (FSS) has just been awarded £450,000 from the
Department of Trade and Industry’s Public Sector Research Exploitation
fund to support the commercial development of a DNA database package,
aimed at helping other countries to set up their own DNA databases.
FSS-iD has already
gained the interest of many existing FSS clients, who already use the
FSS-i3 DNA analysis software, and are looking to take the next step
in establishing forensic DNA profiling capabilities.
The funding
provided will allow FSS-iD to be turned into a commercial product. It
will also be used for the launch of this new product, including additional
market research, the development of the FSS-iD brand name, the development
and production of marketing materials and the attendance at appropriate
international conferences to demonstrate and promote the product
The PRSE is
a fund set up to help public sector organisations including research
council institutes, government laboratories, NHS Trusts and major museums
and galleries to market their research.
In announcing
the PSRE Round 3 awards, Science and Innovation Minister Lord Sainsbury
said:
“Public
sector research establishments carrying out cutting edge research need
finance to bring their products and services to wider markets. Without
Government funding these ideas might never become a reality.
“It is
essential for the benefit of the UK economy and our world-leading standing
in science and innovation that we support the widest commercial development
of scientific knowledge and services … …This funding will
help increase the number of research ideas which can be taken to market”.
Chris Maguire,
the FSS’s Software Unit Business Unit Manager said: “The award
of a second PSRE grant in two years is great news for the FSS and can
be seen as a reward for the exceptional effort that many individuals
have put in this year. The FSS’s track record in commercialisation
is demonstrated by the success of activities already funded under our
previous PSRE application.
“The previous
PSRE grant resulted in the establishment of the Software Business Unit,
the development of DNA expert system suite and the FSS-i3 brand, the
delivery of FSS-i3 to forensic laboratories in the USA, Australia and
New Zealand and critically, to the distribution agreement for the USA
market with the Promega Corporation”
