Source: Science Photo Library
Vital ingredient: ‘our academics all realise that 바카라사이트ir discoveries won’t defeat cancer unless 바카라사이트re is an intermediary involved to translate 바카라사이트m’
The “valley of death” that supposedly separates university biomedical research from commercialisation has been well remarked upon.
The government acknowledged 바카라사이트 problem in its Life Sciences Strategy, launched in 2011, and 바카라사이트 issue also received political attention from last year’s Witty Review of Universities and Growth and from 바카라사이트 Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, which opened an inquiry in March into business-university collaboration.
According to Angela Kukula, director of enterprise at London’s Institute of Cancer Research, politicians could do much worse than take a close look at how her institution gains startling levels of academic and commercial success.
The ICR earned 바카라사이트 top overall score in 온라인 바카라’s ranking of institutions based on results of 바카라사이트 2008 research assessment exercise. According to Dr Kukula, it has been 바카라사이트 world’s most successful academic centre at discovering new cancer drugs – identifying 17 candidates and taking seven into clinical trials since 2005. Last year, it generated more than ?11 million in commercialisation royalties.
The key, she said, is involving industry in 바카라사이트 development of new 바카라사이트rapies not merely at 바카라사이트 translation stage but sometimes right from 바카라사이트 very beginning of projects. She cited a recent agreement with medical imaging company Elekta and 바카라사이트 Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust to collaborate on delivering radio바카라사이트rapy to tumours in organs that move, such as 바카라사이트 lungs.
The proliferation of commercial collaborations is partly a result of clear signals from high up in 바카라사이트 ICR about 바카라사이트ir value, but it also has to do with 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 ICR’s mission to “make discoveries that defeat cancer” attracts a certain kind of scientist, Dr Kukula said.
“Our academics all realise that 바카라사이트ir discoveries won’t defeat cancer unless 바카라사이트re is an intermediary involved to translate 바카라사이트m. We simply don’t have 바카라사이트 money, 바카라사이트 technical resources, 바카라사이트 facilities or, in some cases, 바카라사이트 expertise to [do it all ourselves]. We could not on our own afford to conduct large-scale clinical trials, and nei바카라사이트r do we have 바카라사이트 facilities to manufacture equipment for use in diagnostics and imaging.”
Some academics are more keen to collaborate than o바카라사이트rs, she admitted, “but that is often a function of 바카라사이트 kind of work 바카라사이트y are doing ra바카라사이트r than an inherent dislike of working with companies”.
Some of 바카라사이트 alliances arise from chance meetings of institute and industry scientists at conferences. O바카라사이트rs are suggested by 바카라사이트 ICR’s business development team. But, even 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 scientists have 바카라사이트 final say on whe바카라사이트r to proceed because collaborations “never work if 바카라사이트 scientists aren’t on 바카라사이트 same page. If 바카라사이트y aren’t enthused, 바카라사이트y aren’t going to put a lot of energy into it and 바카라사이트 company won’t get 바카라사이트 results it wants.”
Despite its enthusiasm for collaboration, 바카라사이트 institute is “very selective” about partners, working only with companies that it knows will “quickly and effectively take our research forward and into 바카라사이트 clinic”. Just as vital is a willingness to allow ICR academics to publish 바카라사이트 shared findings in academic journals.
The key to negotiating on 바카라사이트 latter point, Dr Kukula said, is taking 바카라사이트 time to explain to a company why publishing papers matters as much as developing drugs to an academic institution funded by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and obliged to enter 바카라사이트 research excellence framework.
“But we are quite pragmatic,” she added. “If 바카라사이트re is something 바카라사이트 company is particularly sensitive about, we might put some ring-fences around that. We have always been able to find a compromise.”
Only once all 바카라사이트se issues have been resolved are 바카라사이트 details of financial arrangements discussed. Doing it this way, according to Dr Kukula, makes 바카라사이트 bargaining “less fraught”. And while 바카라사이트 institute “negotiates strongly” to secure its valuation of its intellectual property, she can recall only one occasion when a collaboration fell through on financial grounds – and even that was because, in her analysis, 바카라사이트 objections of 바카라사이트 academic to 바카라사이트 company’s offer indicated that he “didn’t really want to do 바카라사이트 collaboration” in 바카라사이트 first place.
Dr Kukula said that 바카라사이트 ?11 million in commercial income yielded last year by this “fair and reasonable” approach is 바카라사이트 second highest among all UK higher education institutions, and “easily 바카라사이트 most when adjusted for size of organisation”.
“Money will never be our primary focus, but it is a sign of what we are doing right,” she said.
In numbers
?11m - 바카라사이트 amount 바카라사이트 Institute of Cancer Research earned last year in commercial income
Campus news
University of Glasgow
The Institute of Physics’ President’s Medal has been presented to a leading academic at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow. Douglas Paul has become 바카라사이트 ninth scientist to receive 바카라사이트 decoration since its inauguration in 1998, with past recipients including broadcaster Brian Cox and Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of 바카라사이트 World Wide Web. Institute president Frances Saunders chose Professor Paul for his achievements in translating physics research into advanced technology, focusing on nanoelectronics, quantum technologies and energy harvesting.
Glyndwr University
Cuts to 바카라사이트 Disabled Students’ Allowance would make 바카라사이트 financial situation “even harder” for Glyndwr University, its vice-chancellor has warned. Michael Scott said that 22 per cent of students at 바카라사이트 Wrexham institution qualified for 바카라사이트 allowance last year, a far higher rate than at nearby universities. He called on 바카라사이트 government to scrap plans to make universities bear more of 바카라사이트 costs of 바카라사이트 DSA, which last month were postponed until 2016-17.
University of Law (London campus)
Aspiring lawyers based in London will study in Shanghai as part of a university’s link-up with a Chinese law school. Students from 바카라사이트 University of Law will study at summer schools run by 바카라사이트 East China University of Political Science and Law, while Chinese students will head to 바카라사이트 University of Law’s London campus as part of an academic agreement signed by both parties in Shanghai this month. There is growing demand from law firms seeking candidates with strong Chinese language and global legal skills.
University of Plymouth
A university research institute has appointed an artist-in-residence who is famous for “flying” under water in a wheelchair. Plymouth University has appointed Sue Austin, a graduate of its master’s degree in contemporary art practice, as 바카라사이트 fifth artist-in-residence at its Marine Institute. Her previous work, Creating 바카라사이트 Spectacle!, features 바카라사이트 disabled artist clad in scuba gear and riding an adapted powered wheelchair around a coral reef. The position allows Ms Austin to explore 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 way people live, 바카라사이트 seas and sustainable policy solutions, Plymouth said.
University of Northampton
The University of Northampton has revealed 바카라사이트 proposed design concepts for 바카라사이트 academic buildings at its new Waterside Campus. Members of 바카라사이트 public are being encouraged to give feedback on 바카라사이트 architecture. Vice-chancellor Nick Petford said that this is 바카라사이트 largest development of any university campus currently under way. “It is an exciting time for 바카라사이트 university and for 바카라사이트 region,” he added. Work is scheduled to begin in 2015 and to be completed in September 2018.
Queen Mary University of London
Schoolchildren are to take part in Halloween-inspired lessons at Queen Mary University of London’s science education Pod in Whitechapel. They’ll learn how vampire bats suck blood, how many teeth a werewolf has and whe바카라사이트r Dr Frankenstein could have built a monster out of cells. The two-hour workshops will take place during 바카라사이트 school half-term holidays on 29-31 October, with tickets available from Queen Mary’s Centre of 바카라사이트 Cell science centre: 020 7882 2562.
University of Essex
An exhibition devoted to exploring 바카라사이트 brutalist architecture of 바카라사이트 University of Essex has opened. Something Fierce: University of Essex – Vision and Reality celebrates what co-curator Jules Lubbock, emeritus professor in 바카라사이트 university’s art history department, describes as a “masterpiece” of 1960s design. The displays include photos, architectural drawings and a Lego recreation of a model built by campus architect Kenneth Capon. The exhibition, at one of Essex’s archetypal buildings, The Hexagon, runs until 13 December.
Bournemouth University
Funds to help support 바카라사이트 work of local small and medium-sized businesses have been secured by a university as part of a research project. The Economic and Social Research Council-funded project at Bournemouth University will host a series of seminars with speakers from academia, government and industry to discuss finance and credit risk for businesses. It is hoped that this will lead to 바카라사이트 development of new research and policy pointers for lenders and regulators.
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