King's College London Industrial Impact Fellowship in Drug Discovery

Biomedical research in Pharmacology requires an understanding of how drugs exert their effects in complex mammalian systems in vivo, a drug discovery discipline essential to the successful translation of new medicines from basic research into the clinic. Surveys published by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in the UK and the British Pharmacological Society have identified a critical lack of pre-clinical in vivo skills in the UK workforce and a decline in the quantity and quality of graduates in the core disciplines of in vivo science, drug metabolism, pharmacokinetic modelling and translational medicine. Research councils including the BBSRC are now investing in this area in an attempt to reverse this decline and build Integrative Mammalian Biology Centres across the UK, including King's College London (KCL). The Centre for Integrative Biomedicine (CIB) was established at KCL in 2007 and is joint funded by a BBSRC-led Capacity Building Award in Integrative Mammalian Biology. The research & training focus of the CIB is the study of whole animal function in normal and pathophysiological situations, and how fundamental processes in physiology and pharmacology maintain health at all stages of life. The in vivo capabilities of the CIB offer significant value to industrial drug discovery programmes, and with its virtual structure the CIB benefits from a range of specific discipline-focussed expertise located throughout KCL. The CIB is working with KCL to exploit experimental design to refine, reduce and replace animal experiments where possible and is fully committed to exploiting opportunities in the biophysical and pharmaceutical sciences areas of the School of Biomedical Sciences as they emerge. The Industrial Impact Fellowship will fund an experienced industry leader who will bring their in depth understanding of the research and skills requirements of the industry together with a knowledge of the drug discovery process from both a Pharma and Biotech perspective. The Fellow will be embedded within the CIB, co-located with the Head of the Centre, Prof. Susan Brain (to whom he will report), Prof Phil Moore and the Pharmaceutical Sciences Division. The Fellow will work on a part-time basis to deliver a coherent strategy to maximise the economic impact of the group and will be linked directly with KCL Business, in order to enhance the success of collaborative opportunities and extend opportunities in the CIB to the School of Biomedical Sciences. The work of the Fellow will focus on the two key priorities of partnership and education, expanding the Centre's contacts with Small to Medium Enterprises (SME's) and Biotech companies in UK & Europe. Key objectives for the work of the Fellow will be: 1) In depth analysis of the industry and a summary of the training & partnership opportunities for the CIB, 2) A review of the CIB's capabilities with an emphasis on its potential economic impact, 3) The generation of a range of marketing literature and workshops/marketing events 4) A regular dialogue with external and internal and external partners, leading to a sustainable network of new and existing collaborations with Pharma, SME and Biotech business 5) An increase in revenue from directly funded activity from industry or partnered funding applications in collaboration with the CIB's academics, together with an increase in the number and quality of industrial placement studentships 6) Regular review of how the activity of the CIB reflects the future research & training requirements of the industry sector The Fellow will work closely with internal partners, specifically the Principle Investigators at the CIB, researchers across the School of Biomedical & Health Sciences whose expertise may be applied to drug discovery, and King's Business. The Fellowship will start at the end of 2009 and be funded for 4 years, with continued support depending on the success of the initial post.

Project goals To increase and sustain the economic impact of the Centre for Integrative Biomedicine (CIB) in two priority areas: industry collaboration and student training.Through recruitment of the Industrial Impact Fellow (Science Programme Manager) with specific scientific, market-sector knowledge, responsible for increasing the economic value of the research and training activities of the CIB. Objectives of the fellow To provide an in depth analysis of the industry and a summary of the training & partnership opportunities for the CIB. To review the CIB's capabilities with an emphasis on potential economic impact . To develop, with KCL Enterprises, a range of marketing literature and workshops/marketing events that attract potential partners from appropriate sectors. To establish regular dialogue with external and internal and external partners, leading to a sustainable network of new and existing collaborations with Pharma, SME and Biotech businesses. To increase revenue from directly funded or partnered funding applications in collaboration between industry and the CIB's academics. To increase in the number and quality of industrial placement studentships. To ensure that the activity of the CIB reflects the future research & training requirements of the industry sector. Key Project Partners Principal Investigators and academic fellows within the CIB. Principal investigators across the School of Biomedical & Health Sciences whose expertise is relevant to industry partners. King's Business, the commercialisation/KT division of KCL. Relationship with Project Stakeholders The Fellow will: Report to the Head of the CIB and sit on the Executive Board & Steering Group. Have regular contact with Principal investigators and academic fellows across the CIB. Attend regular meetings with the King's Business management team. Act as an advocate for the School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, introducing relevant industry partners as required.

Beneficiaries from this Fellowship Centre for integrative Biomedicine (CIB): This Fellowship will enhance the reputation of the CIB as a research and training centre for integrative mammalian biology with the aim of becoming the UK partner of choice for the biotech & pharmaceutical sectors. It will increase funding (co-research, studentships, contract research, consultancy) for the CIB by increasing the number, sustainability and value of commercial partnerships. It will ensure the continued relevance of CIB research & training to biotech and pharmaceutical industries and increase exposure to relevant industry skills & expertise. UK pharmaceutical/biotech sectors: The Fellowship will expand the opportunities for exploitation of CIB technologies and expertise to the benefit of the UK pharmaceutical sector. It is consistent with the requirement to increase the pool of in vivo skills available in the UK workforce and will expand the number of students with industry-relevant skills. It has the potential to impact the development of new medicines and the translation of basic research into the clinic and to increase the economic competitiveness of the UK by more effective knowledge transfer (people, technologies, skills) from academic research into the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors. BBSRC: The Fellowship will increase the economic impact of BBSRC funded research carried out by CIB and KCL. Increased exposure of the research & technologies to industry partners will increase the opportunities for commercial exploitation either as partnerships, directly funded research, studentships or consultancy. It is consistent with the strategic requirements of the BBSRC to increase the economic and social impact of BBSRC-funded research by knowledge transfer, partnerships and providing the skilled researchers needed for industrial R&D and academic research. The fellowship will fund an experienced industry scientist who will act as program manager with the objective of building sustainable relationships with industry partners and ensuring that the research & training activities of the CIB remain relevant to the biotech & pharmaceutical industry in the UK. They will work closely with King's Business to ensure that collaborations and plans for exploitation are realised efficiently and in line with the strategic objectives of KCL.