The Technology Academy of Finland has announced that four innovations have been accepted as finalists in the euro1.15 million (US$1.8 million) International Millennium Technology Prize.

The academy says the inventions are represented by six scientists. They involve DNA fingerprinting, biomaterials for human tissue regeneration, key elements in mobile communication, and fiber optic networks.

The winner is to be announced on June 11, 2008. They will be awarded euro800,000 (US$1.2 million). The three runner-up innovations will each get euro115,000 (US$180,000).

The academy chose Prof Sir Alec Jeffreys, from the genetics department at the University Leicester in Britain, as one of the finalists for the invention of DNA fingerprinting.