Fostering industry-academic collaborations at the AstraZeneca Open Innovation Collaboration Roadshow

Photo 1: Dave Smith, Principal Scientist at AstraZeneca, explained AstraZeneca Open Innovation and its collaboration model.

The event received an overwhelming response from some 50 participants eager to learn about the collaboration model of AstraZeneca Open Innovation and the opportunities within the biopharmaceutical company. With partnerships at the core of the Translational Research Office, this event is part of its ongoing efforts to foster industry-academia collaborations.

This roadshow event brought together the AstraZeneca Open Innovation (AZ-OI) team, UCL Translational Research Office, and UCL scientists to explore how collaboration between industry and academia propels healthcare innovation. The AZ-OI team presented their capabilities and offerings, engaging in discussions about partnering opportunities with UCL academics during the networking lunch and 1:1 partnering meetings.

Thanks to the active participation of the speakers and the audience, the event sparked numerous meaningful discussions and exchanges of ideas around the subjects, as well as the collaboration model. The 1:1 partnering meetings between the academics and the AZOI team, facilitated by the TRO translational research and business and innovation managers, provided an invaluable opportunity for follow-on discussions that aimed to foster potential collaborations.

The event also presented the audience with inspiring scientific case studies, showcasing the potential to amplify results through industry-academic collaborations. This included a presentation by Prof Bart Vanhaesebroeck, UCL Cancer Institute, on the subject 'Kinase modulation turned on its head' and a discussion on 'Screening for small molecule therapies for Huntington’s disease' by Prof Gill Bates, UCL Institute of Neurology.

Dr Pamela Tranter, TRO’s Head of Translational Research Group, and Basma Jeelani, TRO’s Head of Business & Innovation Group, introduced the UCL funding ecosystem and support for industry-academia collaborations. The talk provided the audience with insights into how to progress translational research within UCL’s ecosystem.

We are grateful for the support from all the speakers and contributors to the event, including:​​​

• Dr Jane Kinghorn, Director of UCL Translational Research Office
• Dr Pamela Tranter, Head of Translational Research Group, Translational Research Office
• Basma Jeelani, Head of Business & Innovation Group, Translational Research Office
• David Collier, Senior Business and Innovation Manager, Translational Research Office
• Prof Bart Vanhaesebroeck, UCL Cancer Institute
• Prof Gill Bates, UCL Institute of Neurology
• Dave Smith, Principal Scientist, AstraZeneca
• Kelly Gray, Director Open Innovation, AstraZeneca
• Jens Kieckbusch, Associate Director, Emerging Innovations, AstraZeneca
• Anne Thuery, Studentships and Placements Partner, R&D, AstraZeneca

Presentation document and recordings of the workshop are available via below links (UCL log-in required):

• Presentation file - Introduction to AstraZeneca Open Innovation and its collaboration model
• Part 1 video
• Part 2 video

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