Agilent’s ambitions continue to grow. After a successful 2006 (see IBO 1/15/07), which saw it enter the high-end mass spectrometry (MS) market, the company has set its sights on other market segments. In late March, Agilent announced the formation of a Materials Sciences Solutions Unit (MSSU) within its Life Science and Chemical Analysis (LSCA) business […]

According to David Bannon, COO and cofounder of Headwall Photonics, the headwall is usually the most difficult part of a mountain climb. It is from this willingness to take on difficult technological challenges, as well as the need for cooperation that climbing entails, that Headwall Photonics takes its name. The company’s prospects have been rising […]

Canada plans to spend CAD 9.2 billion ($8.0 billion) on science and technology in 2007–08. University laboratories received a CAD 510 million ($443.1 million) disbursement for purchasing new scientific equipment and CAD 15 million ($13.0 million) to cover “indirect” research costs. The three councils in Canada that give research grants each had their budgets boosted […]

According to the Industrial Research Institute’s (IRI) 23rd annual “R&D Trends Forecast,” R&D spending will increase in 2007. IRI’s R&D index is determined by subtracting the percentage of companies that plan to decrease or maintain their R&D spending from the percentage of companies that plan to increase their spending by at least 5%. This index […]

Santa Clara, CA 3/30/07—Agilent Technologies has created a Materials Sciences Solutions Unit within its Life Science and Chemical Analysis (LSCA) business. The new unit will focus on the development of the company’s microscopy and optical spectroscopy businesses. Agilent’s Nanotechnology Measurement Division, which provides atomic force microscopes (see IBO 11/30/05), will become part of the new […]

Washington, DC 3/30/07; Waltham, MA 4/3/07; Portland, OR 4/4/07—The US Federal Trade Commission has approved Thermo Fisher Scientific’s sale of its Genevac business to Riverlake Equity Partners (see IBO 2/15/07). Genevac will merge with SP Industries, another Riverlake company, and SP Industries CEO Charles L. Grant will lead Genevac operations. Terms were not disclosed.

Waltham, MA 4/2/07—PerkinElmer has purchased Improvision, a UK-based provider of cellular imaging software and integrated hardware solutions, including the Volocity 3D and 4D imaging software. Improvision generated 2006 revenues of approximately £6 million ($11.1 million). “This acquisition strengthens our leading capability in the fast-growing field of advanced cellular sciences,” commented PerkinElmer Chairman and CEO Gregory […]

Venlo, The Netherlands 4/13/07—QIAGEN NV has agreed to acquire eGene, the maker of the HAD-GT12 Genetic Analyzer, an capillary electrophoresis–based system for DNA analysis in research and molecular diagnostics applications. QIAGEN North American Holdings will offer $0.65 in cash and 0.0416 common shares of QIAGEN stock per eGene share for an aggregate amount of approximately […]