Smart Hybrid pH Responsive Coatings for Healthcare

This project is a collaboration between Boots (a leading Pharmacy, Health and Well Being company), the University of
Liverpool (a member of the Russell Group of Universities) and an innovative SME. The project aims to develop a smart
release technology to deliver ingredients on demand within a cosmetic delivery system for a healthcare application. The
University of Liverpool will provide specific expertise in the smart release components and advanced spectroscopic and
imaging characterisation, and the SME will provide materials expertise. Boots provide both a potential route to market and
an extensive knowledge of the market and application area.

The academic PI at the University of Liverpool (UoL), in coordination with the industrial partners, will progress impactrelated
development and opportunities, as outlined below.

1. Industrial and Healthcare Impact
Results of wider significance to technology, healthcare, formulation technology and society will be assessed by the project
partnership and, when appropriate, be disseminated to stakeholders such as industry, government and public bodies via
dedicated pathways supported by the 'Open Innovation Hub in Antimicrobial Surfaces' located at the Surface Science
Research Centre at the University of Liverpool and headed by the academic PI. The Innovation Hub provides conduits into
a large pool of SMEs, the Liverpool Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Medilink, BioNow, Knowledge Transfer Networks
(KTNs) and Regulatory experts via Networking events, Industry Days and Training Workshops. UoL's Business Gateway
team will facilitate knowledge exchange and IP expertise. The Open Innovation Hub in Anti-Microbial Surfaces has also
entered into partnership with Liverpool Health Partners (LHP), representing 12 NHS trusts in Merseyside, which will foster
active engagement with NHS clinicians and dermatologists.
Dissemination: Technological and healthcare breakthroughs will be publicised, when appropriate, through: the press office
of University of Liverpool (UoL), which has direct links to the media and to all learned societies and professional bodies
(e.g. the Royal Society, the RSC, IoP, IoM, the BMA and the IoM); via the websites and publicity literature of the
collaborating companies; and, via dedicated publications such as 'Research Intelligence' by UoL, which is widely circulated
to industrial and public institutions. Project outputs, following appropriate IP protection, will be published in high impact
journals and presented at international conferences and trade meetings e.g. World Pharma congress, SCSFormulate,
Medica, American Chemical Science and Materials Research Science conferences, ECASIA and American Academy of
Dermatology conference.

2. Knowledge Transfer, IP and Exploitation
The outputs of the project will be scrutinised by the consortium partners for possible exploitation, patent protection and
commercialisation, aided by business development managers from each institution. The academic PI is the Head of
Knowledge Transfer at the School of Physical Sciences at Liverpool and, along with the host institution, is well geared in
matters of commercialisation and exploitation. The academic PI also has strong experience in engaging with the private
sector in her current role as Director of the 'Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces' and her previous role as the
Associate Director of the 'Leverhulme Centre for Innovative Catalysis' at LU, both promoting active academic-industry R&D
collaboration programmes. She is also a member of a number of European research networks with active industrial
partnership from the fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals industry, and has secured international patents covering the EU,
US, China and Hong Kong from her previous research.
University Capability: The University of Liverpool is a member of the Russell Group and is strongly committed to staying at
the forefront of innovation and research. A considerable part of the University's research involves working with businesses,
and UoL has a long-established track record of impact resulting from research and strong cultures for Knowledge
Exchange activities. UoL topped the Russell Group in 2007 for income per academic from Knowledge Exchange, is the
best performer in Knowledge Transfer Partnerships in the northwest of England; and holds an EPSRC Knowledge Transfer
Account (KTA) to increase the Impact and Technology Readiness Level of EPSRC funded research. Faculty-assigned
business managers and specialist Legal Services and IP exploitation groups provide direct support to academics.