Bridging the “third translational gap” between industry and academia, and creating a strong innovation culture at Newcastle University for industry-driven research
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.
Publications
Freitas L
(2020)
Medicine-by-wire: Practical considerations on formal techniques for dependable medical systems
in Science of Computer Programming
Watson NA
(2020)
Kinase inhibition profiles as a tool to identify kinases for specific phosphorylation sites.
in Nature communications
| Description | Biomaterial-based therapeutics for in vivo induction of tolerogenic dendritic cells (BioTol) |
| Amount | £75,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Versus Arthritis |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2020 |
| Description | Commercialization of an automated persufflation device to improve transplantation outcomes |
| Amount | £35,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | Generation of probes for |
| Amount | £65,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
| Department | Northern Accelerator |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | KiPIK - A new diagnostic method for kinase identification in cells and tissues to improve cancer treatment |
| Amount | £49,449 (GBP) |
| Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
| Department | Northern Accelerator |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | Newcastle Confidence in Concept: KiPIK - A new method for kinase identification in cells and tissues |
| Amount | £74,945 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2020 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Description | Spectral Flow Cytometry for the study of the Immune system in health and disease |
| Amount | £490,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2020 |
| Description | Development of a prototype medical device and consumable for organ persufflation / Incoming placement (Dr Bill Scott) |
| Organisation | Cambridge Medtech Solutions Limited |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This is a collaboration between Newcastle University, NuTH, and Cambridge Medtech Solutions Ltd. Working with an interdisciplinary team of academics, clinicians and clinical engineers, this project aims to develop a prototype medical device (and associated consumables) for hypothermic oxygen persufflation of donor organs. The device limits ischemia-related damage extending clinically-relevant organ preservation times and providing better patient outcomes post-transplantation. It has been designed as a multi-organ platform which will be automated and easily transportable reducing costs and logistical considerations associated with current in-market technologies. It has the potential to revolutionise the way that organs are selected, prepared and transported for human transplant procedures. This project builds on 4 patent-applications owned by Newcastle University in relation to this technology. It is very timely, and the opportunities for commercial exploitation if the project is successful are vast. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Mr Kay of Cambridge Medical Solutions, the commercial partner / co-inventor on the project (Cambridge Medical Solutions) took part in an incoming placement, to formally be embedded in Dr Scott's team to develop greater understanding of the commercial aspects of the invention and to ensure the best possible route to market / clinical trial. He has extensive experience of developing medical prototypes and taking them to market. |
| Impact | Prototype generated (testing ongoing). Spin out company (www.scubatx.com) created in 2020 (and grants secured). Four pending patent applications. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Embedding nutrition knowledge and nutrition data collection strategies within Ecog Pro Ltd. |
| Organisation | Ecog Pro Limited |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Knowledge share. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Cog Pro system. |
| Impact | Joint research tool now in place - once validated, it can be used for collaborative research. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Evaluation of virtual reality patient safety training (Dr Simon Stone) |
| Organisation | Generic Robotics |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | To develop a relationship with General Robotics (GR). GR have experience in developing virtual reality simulations that have gone to market for use in postgraduate surgical training and assessment in orthopaedics, laproscopic surgery and anaesthesiology. Dr Simon Stone proposed to work with GR, who are new to the 'dental' market to help them understand the the educational need and value of VR in dentistry, as it is currently unproven. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This project provided the opportunity for an Early Career Researcher to develop this area of educational research as part of a PhD project. A number of perceived gaps exist in clinical dental skills training, this project will facilitate an initial testing platform for VR simulation in dental education and evaluate the potential value. |
| Impact | It was not possible to pursue this line of collaboration and research any further. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Identification of clinical indications for patient benefits for a new graphene-based Point Of Care Test |
| Organisation | Paragraf Limited |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Identification of potential clinical areas of interest. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Experts from Paragraf shared their knowledge on project selection, technical aspects of graphene production and Intellectual Property Rights. |
| Impact | Joint grant application submitted but unsuccessful. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Meeting with Astarte Medical to develop a relationship around microbiome sequencing (Dr Chris Stewart) |
| Organisation | Astarte Medical |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This project sought to initiate a new academic-industry collaboration with Astarte Medical. Dr Chris Stewart is an early career researcher (Marie Curie Fellow) trying to gain independence and build networks. These activities will directly enhance the applicant's current research projects as well as build wider international collaboration networks for on-going and future work. The sequencing of additional samples would only serve to improve the impact of resulting publications. The planned trip would also facilitate the applicant in his continued efforts to pioneer a recognised microbiome programme within Newcastle University. Additionally, as microbiome science is increasingly recognised as a pivotal area across clinical research, increased knowledge and capacity of the applicant will directly benefit Newcastle University as a whole. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Astarte Medical, a medical software development start-up based in Boston, are seeking to develop a machine learning algorithm for predicting the risk of disease in preterm infants based on microbiome sequencing and medical metadata. |
| Impact | Collaboration secured to send samples. Resulting dataset shared - analysis ongoing. Dr Chris Stewart is now a scientific advisor for Astarte Medical. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | NU Innovates Elevator Pitch Training and P2D "Dragon's Den" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | to support high-quality, innovative projects from those at the start of their academic careers. We hosted two NU Innovates training sessions - How to give an Elevator Pitch and Sell Your Research Ideas facilitated by Dr Dave Simpson, CEO of a spin out company who has extensive experience in pitching for, and winning funding for his company, and of negotiating with industry. Those that attended were invited to submit an executive summary (max. 300 words) outlining their ideas, and pitch to the Proximity to Discovery panel. Ideas will then be worked up to fully costed proposals with a team comprising of a Business Development Manager, an academic mentor and the Programme Manager. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://www.newcastleptd.com/nu-innovates/ |