ECOTECH-COMPLEX Analytical and Programme Centre for Advanced Environmentally-Friendly Technologies is open to cooperation with businesses and other research institutions, as well as distinguished scientists wishing to conduct research with the use of its state-of-the-art scientific and research equipment.
The Centre's mission is to create unique conditions facilitating the conduct of scientific research and the provision of high-quality industrial research services by highly qualified, interdisciplinary research teams working in the following key areas: health, ecology, food, and agriculture.
The scientific and socio-economic objectives of the Centre include:
- to undertake innovative and topical research projects of economic relevance to the region and the country as a whole, based on financing obtained from national and international sources, as well as to support efforts aimed at obtaining such financing,
- to improve the innovativeness in the AGRO-BIO-MED-ECO-FOOD sectors and to develop and market new, innovative technologies and products,
- to improve the competitive position and enhance the research potential of the scientific sector by expanding and enriching the available offer of research services rendered by interdisciplinary teams of expert researchers.
- to increase the influence of science on economic development by reorienting the research focus and effectively transferring R&D results to the economy,
- to create more permanent and attractive job opportunities and educate better trained personnel.
The Centre operates 14 laboratory facilities with the total floor area of approximately 2,600 m2, which can be flexibly adapted to the current requirements and composition of the respective research teams. The available laboratory infrastructure, specialist equipment, access to industrial gasses, etc. can be easily adapted to the current needs and specifics of the research conducted by respective teams. Furthermore, ECOTECH-COMPLEX operates a number of so-called "cleanrooms" which can be used to conduct research requiring the highest standards of contamination-free environments, e.g. in the fields of pharmacy or biotechnology.
Health related research focuses around the use of the globally unique setup of an ultra-high field MRI scanner with the magnetic field inductance rating of 7 T for the purposes of full-body imaging in humans. Certainly not a standard diagnostic instrument typically used by healthcare institutions, the device is a specialised instrument employed for the purposes of scientific research involving brain scans and imaging of various other anatomical areas of the human body. The main advantage of employing ultra-high magnetic field lies in the capacity to produce images in higher resolutions compared to those generated by standards devices. The fNMR 7T device facilitates the performance of non-standard procedures involving brain function imaging in specific areas of the brain, including with respect to brain function disorders related e.g. to geriatric diseases such as senile dementia, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.
The Centre's equipment can also facilitate research related to developing pro-environmental technologies, modelling and anticipating changes to human living conditions, forecasting climate related and catastrophic events, as well as developing modern and innovative technologies in the areas of healthcare, agrotechnology and food production technology. In particular, the potential research directions may include:
- industrial waste disposal and recycling,
- industrial waste disposal and recycling,
- development of high-quality pro-environmental and functional food, and
- development of new pro-biotic products and substances,
- organic plant protection products,
- environmental protection in the context of newly emerging threats (e.g. related to shale gas mining),
- technological innovations for agriculture,
- bioactive compounds enhancing the quality of life of the elderly and people suffering from civilisational diseases.
Apart from advanced scientific research, ECOTECH-COMPLEX is also involved in the organisation and conduct of:
- postgraduate courses,
- multidisciplinary training programmes for the industry,
- specialist conferences and seminars featuring presentations by global leaders in fields corresponding to the Centre's research profile,
- expert advisory and certification services.
Furthermore, employees of the Centre offer support in obtaining national and international grants and scholarships, including financing within the framework of Horizon 2020, as well as from the resources of the Foundation for Polish Science, the National Centre for Research and Development, and the National Science Centre. In particular, we will provide comprehensive assistance in drawing up financing applications for research and scholarship programmes, and identifying potential sources of financing for the planned research and implementation work. Numerous programmes financed by the European Community, the Foundation for Polish Science, and other institutions have been implemented with the view of facilitating greater mobility. Improvement of researcher mobility is the underlying purpose of establishing the European Research Area , to which the ECOTECH-COMPLEX Centre aspires.
The Centre's offer is addressed to:
- young and ambitious university graduates with a clear vision and original research concepts,
- agricultural producers and processing companies wishing to take advantage of new environmentally-friendly technologies (biofuels, bio-fertilisers, processing regulators);
- regional manufacturers interested in new technologies in plant material extraction;
- entrepreneurs whose business profiles include: waste management, plant water management, management of mining methane emissions, bio-fuel production, new environmentally-friendly materials and technologies.
- other investors interested in creating new jobs based on the use of the latest technologies (producers of bio-fuels, organic food, plants processing food or herbs, as well as producers of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics).
