Minnesota Nano Center
The Minnesota Nano Center, or MNC, is a state-of-the-art facility for interdisciplinary research in nanoscience and applied nanotechnology.
The Center offers a comprehensive set of tools to help researchers develop new micro- and nanoscale devices, such as integrated circuits, advanced sensors, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and microfluidic systems. The MNC is also equipped to support nanotechnology research that spans many science and engineering fields, allowing advances in areas as diverse as cell biology, high performance materials, and biomedical device engineering.
Have a Project?
The tools and labs of the Nano Center are open for use by all trained and qualified users. We also do custom projects in the areas of microdevices, nanoparticles, and biomedical applications of nanotechnology.
Contact us and find out how we can help you realize your research goals or turn your ideas into new products.
Nano Center News
Nano Day 2025 Recap
The Minnesota Nano Center celebrated National Nanotechnology Day on October 9, 2025, by welcoming more than 60 sixth-grade students from Bloomington Public Schools for a day of hands-on learning and exploration. Students rotated through activity stations led by MNC staff, CSE Youth Programs, the Science Museum of Minnesota, and the Science and Engineering Student Board, where they discovered how nanotechnology connects to everyday life.
In the evening, we hosted an open house with International Institute of Biosensing which included also tours our facilities, poster session, and networking.
To top off the celebration, we’re proud to share that University of Minnesota researchers won both categories of the NNCI “Plenty of Beauty at the Bottom” Image Contest:
Most Unique Capability: Meteor Shower in a Nano World – Sadikshya Pandey
Most Whimsical: Nano-Au (Gold) Fish – Rishi Raj
Thank you to all our partners, volunteers, and students for making Nano Day a success and for helping us celebrate the science that shapes our world—one nanometer at a time!
Join MNC Staff at the Coffee Hour!
The Nano Center hosts a coffee hour for current and potential users on the first Tuesday of each month. These informal drop-in sessions offer MNC users the chance to meet with the staff of the Nano Center and discuss their projects or get pointers on using our nanofabrication tools. The Coffee Hour is held 2-3 PM in room PAN 130. See you there!
Take the Nano Center Video Tour!
Acknowledgment of NSF and NNCI
Published papers must acknowledge all sources of financial support. Since MNC receives funds from the National Science Foundation through the NNCI network, MNC users must acknowledge that support on all publications and presentations. Our funding is jeopardized unless everyone complies, so please add the following to your acknowledgement sections:
“Portions of this work were conducted in the Minnesota Nano Center, which is supported by the National Science Foundation through the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) under Award Number ECCS-2025124."
In circumstances where there is insufficient space for this entire acknowledgement, please be sure to mention "Award Number ECCS-2025124" at a minimum.