After the Life Sciences strategy: managing science-based R&D collaborations

Date: 27.01.2012 10:00 - 12:00

Location: NESTA, 1 Plough Place, London, EC4A 1DE

The Government's Life Sciences strategy, launched in December 2011, describes the need for a 'cohesive system of integration' and assisting researchers to collaborate across boundaries. Academic laboratories form an important input to new open modes of innovation and external R&D collaboration. This event looked at the challenges of managing academic collaborations in commercial R&D projects in UK life sciences.

Speaking at this event were CSOs of some of the UK's leading therapeutic biotechnology firms including Astex Pharmaceuticals, ReNeuron, Summit, and Vernalis. Further perspectives were presented by David T Phillips, Partner at SR One (the corporate venture capital arm of GlaxoSmithKline) and Dave Tapolczay, CEO of MRC Technology.

The event was hosted by Louise Marston of NESTA and Simcha Jong, Lecturer in Management Science and Innovation from UCL who discussed his UK Innovation Research Initiative project on the international competitive position of UK R&D-intensive life sciences firms. It was followed by short presentations from the speakers about their experiences with organising science-intensive R&D projects.

View Simon Jong's presentation

Support for this event is acknowledged from the Innovation Research Initiative program that is jointly funded by BIS, the TSB, the ESRC, and NESTA.