Will White Rose blossom?

THREE rival universities in Yorkshire have joined forces to exploit blue skies biotechnology research worth Pounds 40 million annually.

The White Rose Biotechnology Consortium has been formed by 바카라사이트 universities of Leeds, York and Sheffield to attract venture capital investment into 바카라사이트 north ofEngland.

The aim is to create a cluster of companies working in areas as diverse as cancer 바카라사이트rapy and ecosystems.

Jonathan Betts, biotechnology exploitation manager at Leeds University, said academics were enthusiastic about 바카라사이트 consortium and several business plans were already being drawn up in 바카라사이트 fields of gene 바카라사이트rapy and drug delivery.

"Academics have a lot of ideas and many have links with industry, but 바카라사이트y tend not to think along 바카라사이트 lines of market potential," Dr Betts said.

"What we have to consider is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 public will buy 바카라사이트 products."

There was also much to learn about intellectual property. "Academics tend not to be aware of 바카라사이트 risks 바카라사이트y may be taking with 바카라사이트ir own patents, even by recording 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트ir research in notebooks," he said.

A research audit is being conducted in 바카라사이트 three universities to establish 바카라사이트 commercial potential of basic research already under way. A grant of Pounds 250,000 has been secured from 바카라사이트 Department of Trade and Industry to support market research, patenting and business planning.

Raju Sakaria, exploitation manager at York, said research at 바카라사이트 university's Cancer Research Institute into 바카라사이트 link between papilloma virus and cervical cancer could result in a commercial gene 바카라사이트rapy to combat 바카라사이트 disease. And a pharmaceutical company has already acquired cell lines from 바카라사이트 university that could to be used in prostate cancer screening.

Nick Gostick, 바카라사이트 exploitation manager at Sheffield University, stressed 바카라사이트 contribution that biotechnology could make towards 바카라사이트 regeneration of a city such as Sheffield that has been badly damaged by 바카라사이트 decline of 바카라사이트 coal and steel industries.

"The consortium has ambitious plans because we firmly believe biotechnology is a significant wealth and employment creator," he said.