The University of Nottingham: Evaluating Position on Stem Cell Growth Technology after Industry Feedback
The University of Nottingham joined IN-PART in September 2017 to present new research from their academics to industry. Later that year, the university was approached by a research professional from a global supplier to the life sciences industry through IN-PART to discuss the development of a human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) growth substrate that academics at Nottingham have developed.
Although the interaction didn’t result in the commercialisation of the substrate, the researchers at Nottingham gained valuable feedback from the conversation about the technology and its stage of development. This has encouraged the team at Nottingham to re-evaluate their invention, leaving the door open for a future collaboration. Toby Gould, Innovation & Commercialisation Officer in Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, provided us with an update on the collaboration:
We evaluated the feedback and the field in general and we were approaching a patent milestone. The […] interaction was timely as it arrived just before this milestone and they were the last of the key players we had shown the technology to. The academics were aware of the field moving on and that the substrate is not compatible with the new industry standard culture media.”
The team at Nottingham is now evaluating how and whether to proceed with the technology development. Toby explained:
The conversation with [company requested to remain anonymous] regarding the stem cell substrate has drawn to a close, we are evaluating our options on that technology and how or if we proceed further with it. The interaction with […], although not progressing further with this tech, was extremely valuable, the feedback […] was excellent.
Read more success profiles and case studies of collaborations that started through IN-PART’s matchmaking platform for university-industry collaboration.
Copyrights reserved unless otherwise agreed – IN-PART Publishing Ltd., 2018
Header image background: CSIRO / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
About IN-PART:
To ensure science benefits society, we unlock innovation from research by connecting academia and industry through an intelligent matchmaking platform.
With proactive community engagement underpinned by smart-matching algorithms, we alert R&D-focused companies to the most relevant innovation from universities and research institutes worldwide, providing a personal introduction for new partnerships.