School of Biomedical Sciences

Tech Transfer

Technology and Knowledge Transfer

The School of Biomedical Sciences engages in a wide range of innovative activities and partnerships that result in benefits for our wider community. Some benefits are aligned with ‘teaching’, for example, the production of graduates who are fit for practice. Other benefits are aligned with ‘research’, for example, our publications which influence thinking in the ‘allied to medicine’ field, and the ideas that our scientists exchange at local, national and international conferences. However, the School also engages in the following beneficial activities:

- Collaborative research supported through the Department of Employment and Learning, for example, CAST and Invest Northern Ireland, for example, START
- Contract research for industry, for example, nutritional intervention trials on human volunteers
- Early stage exploitation of research with commercial potential resulting in patents filed in such areas as i) biomarkers for diabetes; ii) biosorption; iii) diagnosis of dry eye; iv) DNA tracer technology; v) insulin releasing peptides; vi) medical peptides; vii) molecular diagnostic techniques; viii) nutritionally enhanced milk; and ix) storage and delivery of microbes, and giving rise to licensing opportunities through UUTECH Ltd.
- Spin-out companies, for example, Diabetica Ltd, EFMB Ltd and Gendel Ltd
- Consultancy contracts in such areas as i) a safety statement concerning soya; ii) literature review on dietary carbohydrates and insulin resistance; iii) innovation in functional foods; iv) b acteriological analysis; v) shellfish depuration by way of molecular biology techniques; vi) mass-spec analysis of peptides; vii) microscopic study of biofilm build-up; and viii) novel treatments for modifying fibre properties.
- Knowledge transfer partnerships with UK companies through dti/Invest NI funded KTP projects in such areas as i) R & D capability in nutritional food supplements; ii) development and implementation of enhanced quality system for clinical trials (led by Business and Management); and iii) innovation programme in consumer food products (joint with Business and Management)
- Innovation projects with Irish companies through the InterTrade Ireland FUSION programme in such areas as bioactives from seaweed, and health enhancing food and drink products
- Designated Public Events, through Science in Society and the Knowledge Club

There is a growing body of expertise within the School on Technology and Knowledge Transfer, which is led by Professor Tony McHale (Scientific Director for Gendel Ltd and EFMB Ltd) and Professor Tony Bjourson (Head of the Biomedical Genomics Research Group) and supported by the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Coordinator of Academic Enterprise, Mr Peter Mitchell.