Xeno Feature in Innovation Centre Autumn 2009 Newsletter
Xeno Medical feature in the University of Exeter's Innovation Centre Autumn 2009 Newsletter.Xeno In the News - 20 October 2009
Xeno Medical's Christina Doyle has been quoted in the national press today with regard to a £50million, 5 year programme focusing on developing biomedical engineering solutions to solve problems faced by Britain’s ageing population.BBC News - "Science to 'stop age clock at 50'"
The Telegraph - "'Grow your own body parts' could herald in the age of the active centenarian"
The Times - "Science of spare parts could help you live beyond 100"
Xeno Medical has Moved
Xeno Medical has been permitted to move to the prestigious University of Exeter Innovation Centre. The Innovation Centre, www.spaceforsuccess.co.uk houses knowledge-based organisations with high-growth potential that are undertaking research and development. Tenants operate within the biosciences, environmental, ICT and advanced manufacturing sectors. They come from both public and private sector and range from start-up to mature businesses.Christina Doyle, the CEO, has had a visiting Professorship at the University since 2000 and has been the Chair of the External Advisory Committee for the School of Computer Science Engineering and Mathematics until recently. This move will provide an excellent extension to the activities of Xeno Medical. It will allow close interaction with local growth-stage innovative companies in the medical device arena and with other knowledge-transfer public, NHS and private sector businesses, as well as continuing their successful national and international activities.
EPSRC Strategic Advisory Team - October 2008
Christina Doyle has been invited to serve on the UK Research Council for Engineering and Science (EPSRC) Healthcare Strategic Advisory Team (SAT). She is also a member of the Cross-Disciplinary SAT.The role of these SATs is to act as a body of special advisors to EPSRC, helping to ensure that the skills and research base are there to support the advancement of knowledge and the future needs of business and society.
The Strategic Advisory Team Conference was held on 27-28th October. The conference is an opportunity for consultation on the scientific and technological challenges facing EPSRC and the wider issues affecting research, and to help EPSRC plan the research landscape. The event, hosted by EPSRC Chairman, John Armitt, will operate through facilitated sessions in order to develop a vision for the contribution of science and engineering and to consider the forces that either aid or inhibit the fulfillment of that vision. There are also interactive sessions looking at ethics and how these might be applied in the management of research. The outcomes from the SATs helps EPSRC plan the way forward heading into the next Spending Review and indeed the longer time-frame. More information about SAT activity can be found at http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/About EPSRC/Governance/SATs/default.htm
i2i Medical Futures Event – Orthopedics - June 2008
Christina Doyle participated in the i2i Medical Futures Event. The purpose of the i2 in general is to catalyse UK innovation and is partly sponsored by Medical Futures and partly by The Royal Society of Medicine www.i2event.co.uk
The well-met purpose was to facilitate networking between clinicians and others in order to allow them to crystallise their ideas into products and services which serve unmet needs and thus have a major impact on patient care.
The programme included a presentation from Derek McMinn who explained that his initial hip resurfacing concepts were met with initial scepticism Yet he was rallied on by inspiration from the father of hip replacement, Sir John Charley. Sir John's innovations often were equally resisted initially, however having a well developed sense of purpose and the right team eventually produced the backbone of hip replacement concepts, which still apply today. This was an inspiration to Mr McMinn.
Other speakers gave a review of their experience from specific product development exercises (metalmetal resurfacing; total ankle replacement) and the steps required to seek investments and development partners.
Most interesting however and unique in the UK to this event was the series of papers from practicing clinicians. Each had been set the task to present the key unmet clinical needs in their area (trauma, reconstruction, sports medicine, oncology).
More details of the i2i event can be found in this excerpt from the TribOS™ Newsletter. Photographs courtesy of Medical Futures.
Procollagenix Ltd - January 2008
Xeno Medical has successfully concluded the incorporation and agreement to manage a new University of Manchester spin-out, Procollagenix Ltd. The company owns exclusive rights to inventions from the world-renowned academics, Professors Kadler and Bulleid, and is focused on the development and clinical application of synthetic collagen.
International Workshop in Functional Tissue Engineering - November 2007
As part of Xeno Medical's tissue engineering activity, Christina Doyle recently was invited to attend the International Workshop in Functional Tissue Engineering. This two day workshop aimed to bring together biological scientists and engineers from academia from UK, USA, Japan and China, with representatives from Government research and technology organisations. The aims were to address the challenges at the interfaces of different disciplines which currently pose significant barriers to advancements in research and development in the area of functional tissue engineering.The specific challenges which the workshop aimed to address were:
- Interface between disciplines, and in particular between biology and engineering
- Interface between basic biological science and the development of systems solutions
- Interface between researchers from different cultures and countries, to align alternative global approaches and draw together complementary skills and expertise
- Interface between academic researchers and user communities, including industry