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History

Nanosafety, a natural extension of the nuclear industry's culture of safety

Published on 19 April 2017
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) has built up a strong reputation in the field of nuclear safety. Applying decades of nuclear safety know-how and experience to nanomaterials was a natural next step for the CEA in guaranteeing the safety of CEA staff working with nanomaterials and other people nearby. But the CEA's nanosafety strategy doesn't stop there. The organization conducts research on the safety of nanomaterials to drive advances in personal and environmental protection. 




The CEA's Grenoble campus drew upon its strong track record in nanosafety to coordinate the first EU NanoSafe project and host the first NanoSafe conference in 2008, evidence of the organization's commitment to expanding nanosafety research.

In 2009, the CEA's strong know-how in nanosafety earned the organization the position as lead on the Nanosafety component of the Nano-Innov program [1].

The Nanosafety Platform opened its doors on November 22, 2013, the fruit of more than a decade of research. The Rhône-Alpes regional government provided €14.3 million in funding; the French government added another €3 million under its national higher-education modernization plan, which aims to position Grenoble-Alpes University as a world-class center for innovation. 


[1] The Nano-Innov program is an initiative of the French Ministry for Higher Education and Research; nanotechnologies and the integration of nanotechnologies into innovative systems are one of the pillars of the initiative.

 


CONSTRUCTION BEGINS
>January 13, 2012

A ground-breaking ceremony was held on January 13, 2012 and was attended by Geneviève Fioraso, Jean-Jack Queyranne, Frédéric Perissat, and Farid Ouabdesselam.​
INAUGURATION​​
​ >November 22, 2013


On November 22, 2013, Geneviève Fioraso, France’s Minister for Higher Education and Research; Jean-Jack Queyranne, President of the Rhône-Alpes Regional Council; Bertrand Girard, President of the Grenoble University community of institutions of higher learning; and Bernard Bigot, General Administrator, cut the ribbon on the new Nanosafety Platform in Grenoble at a ceremony attended by Jean Therme, Director of Technological Research, CEA.
Photo credit: Denis MOREL/CEA

 

MILESTONES​

2005

The EU Nanosafe project, backed by the European Commission

2008

First Nanosafe ConferenceFirst

2009-2010

NANO-INNOV

January 13, 2012

Construction begins

November 22, 2013

Nanosafety Platform opens its doors​​