Translating “Translation and Diagnostics” – bridging the third translational gap
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
The MRC Proximity to Discovery scheme awards universities funds to help develop new collaborations, and ways of exchanging knowledge and skills. The awards can be used to support activities that promote the value of academic-industry partnership, and enhance academic and industry researchers’ understanding of each other’s needs and capabilities. This may be through people exchanges, creation of technology demonstrators, showcase events, commercialisation workshops and ‘entrepreneurs in residence’ schemes. Such exchanges of knowledge and skills will boost the most fruitful collaborations between UK universities and life science companies.
| Description | Newcastle Confidence in Concept - SIGMuND: Stereotactic Image Guided Muscle NeuroDiagnostics. |
| Amount | £76,230 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2019 |
| End | 02/2020 |
| Description | Whey protein and glycaemic control in people with type 2 diabetes (non-clinical PhD Studentship) |
| Amount | £175,381 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Arla Foods |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2017 |
| End | 10/2020 |
| Description | Collaboration with Septodont (Professor Justin Durham) |
| Organisation | Septodont Limited |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This was a new collaboration between Professor Justin Durham and his team, with expertise in Dentistry and the teaching of dentistry, with Septodont. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Septodont (world's largest orofacial pain pharmaceutical manufacturer) provide funding and industry insight into the field. |
| Impact | NIHR BRC PhD Studentship: STOP-Transit study: Peri-procedural targets in toothache to stop transition to phantom neuropathic tooth pain. They have agreed to collaborate and the terms to be contained in a heads of terms agreement have also verbally been confirmed including bidirectional travel of researchers to learn from one another. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Mitochondrial Research Group and Astex Pharmaceuticals |
| Organisation | Astex Pharmaceuticals |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Professor Bob Lightowlers and Dr Ollie Russell presented details of their research under CDA. Astex are keen to keep in contact and to see the results of the current work in progress |
| Collaborator Contribution | none yet. |
| Impact | this partnership is in its infancy, and we hope to have further activities to report in due time. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | To foster collaboration on skin microbiome with Lonza (Dr Shoba Amarnath) |
| Organisation | Lonza Group |
| Country | Global |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Dr Shoba Amarnath was in discussion with Lonza to developing a collaborative project on the microbiome. The aim of this visit was to develop a programme funded by Lonza which will evaluate how the various formulations created by Lonza are affecting the microbiome in the skin. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Presentations were given on the dynamic scientific projects that are currently on-going in Dr Amarnath's laboratory and further boost the chances of setting up this industry collaboration. It provided her with a training opportunity to develop relationships with industry partners. |
| Impact | The collaboration resulted in a successful PhD studentship of £100K. However, the student discontinued after 9 months. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Developing alpha7 nicotinic receptor positive allosteric modulators as PET tracers for research and diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This one day workshop with 18 attendees from a variety of organisations and disciplines aimed to address the challenges of co-development of focussed treatments and biomarkers/diagnostics and to highlight opportunities to address the challenges arising. One company was represented, DanPET (Sweden) due to high costs associated with development of the PET Tracers. The company are engaged and committed to the initiative, and the collaboration has been strengthened as a result of the workshop. We are now actively engaged in follow-on activities with partners. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Exploring Life Science Partnerships in South East Asia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | An event hosted by Newcastle and Monash Universities with support from the British High Commission, the Department of International Trade, and the UK's Medical Research Council's Proximity to Discovery scheme, this event was aimed at bringing the life sciences offering from Newcastle University to the South East Asian markets. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Extracting medically-relevant features from face image data |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This cross-faculty workshop included 9 invited external speakers; bringing together clinical, technical and industrial expertise to review and discuss the analysis, applications, opportunities and funding pathways in biomedical analytics for face image data. Formal presentations took place in the morning, with the afternoon dedicated to discussions culminating in firm plans for future development. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Newcastle Biomedical Sciences in London: Exploring Possibilities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The afternoon/early evening event at our London campus, held in conjunction with our key strategic partner, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, attracted almost 60 external guests to listen to keynote addresses from the Faculty's Pro-Vice-Chancellor and the Director of the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre, as well as parallel sessions on diagnostics, clinical trials and an investment forum. 60 external delegates from a variety of industry, pharma and investment companies attended. Based upon web-derived feedback, early conversations and initial engagements and exchange of business cases following this event, it is very likely that this will lead to stronger relationships with existing contacts, and new collaborations and investment opportunities . |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.newcastleptd.com/exploring-possibilities/ |
| Description | The Newcastle Rare Disease Showcase |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This one-day showcase event at the Centre for Life in Newcastle aimed to provide a friendly forum for patient groups, researchers, clinicians, life science professionals and industry to come together, to encourage collaborations within the rare disease community and to improve the future of rare disease science and healthcare. The audience of 70 was composed of approximately 27 patient/patient group (with 29 different organisations represented, across 12 conditions); 18 industry (including pharma, CROs, biotech, consultancies) and 22 academics / clinicians and 3 government bodies including Public Health England. The conference was well received with press reporting on featured stories. Collaborative opportunities will be followed up. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |