Plant Science and Crop Protection Innovation
World-leading Plant Science and Crop Protection research is carried out here at the University of Glasgow and focuses on identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying physiological environmental cues. Our researchers apply a synthetic biology and systems approaches to tackle global challenges, working in collaboration with industry partners to develop innovative technologies to address key issues facing the health and food sectors. The college of MVLS pioneers research in crop stress resistance, photobiology, and ion transport and electrophysiology.
The Translational Research Initiative Management Team (TRI MT) help researchers achieve maximum impact from their projects. The following roadmap provides information on experimental considerations, IP identification and protection (where applicable), business development aspects, regulatory guidance and funding opportunities available, both internally within The University of Glasgow and also some external opportunities.
Each stage corresponds with different "Technology Readiness Levels" (TRLs). This is a method for understanding the maturity of an innovation during its acquisition or experimental and testing phases. Each research project is evaluated against the parameters for each technology level and is then assigned a TRL rating based on the project's progress. There are nine technology readiness levels; TRL 1 is the lowest and TRL 9 is the highest.
For more information on the experimental, business development and funding resources of projects at each maturity stage, and for guidance on how to access them, please see the tiles below.
Key Contacts and Facilities
List of contacts and facilities to support the development of medical devices at UofG.
Regulatory Requirements
For projects at all stages of development:
If a technology is subject to applications in the environment, used as a consumed product, or makes medical claims, the regulatory landscape needs to be carefully considered. At this stage, the target locations, UK, US, Europe, elsewhere, need to be identified and the specific regulatory requirements for each location need to be carefully considered.
As projects advance towards stages 2 and 3 (Early concept validation and Concept progression, respectively):
A technology based on GM or gene editing cannot be tested in the open field without regulatory oversight. Such projects are required to submit application to ACRE for a small field trial, that needs to be made well in advance as approval can take up to a year.
- For GM and gene edited technologies, the target geographical locations for commercial partners and product release need to be identified. The individual or organisation in charge of completing the regulatory approval process also needs to be determined.
- Non-GM solutions will be offered to commercial parties, either early investors or third party trials organisations to run large-scale field trials.
For stage 4 projects (Scale-up of concept):
Business decisions around spinning out, divestment and licencing are linked with the question of regulatory requirements, and the need in some cases for specific knowhow and expertise in product development.
For stage 5 projects (End goal/Exit):
Business decisions around spinning out, are linked to divestment, licencing, regulatory requirements, and the need in some cases for specific knowhow and expertise in product development.
Links to information from an international perspective:
A useful document prepared by the UK Food Standards Agency can be accessed here.
Links to regulatory information in the UK:
- Regulations on contained or field-based trials of genetically modified or gene edited organisms are administered by the UK Government’s Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment, ACRE.
- Food labelling, and claims associated with additives or nutritional benefits are regulated by the Food Standards Agency.
- Advice on food nutrition and health claims has changed post Brexit. Please note that advice is currently undergoing governmental review. Updates can be found here.
Key Contacts
- Translational Research Initiative. The TRI team aims to create real world impact through identifying, championing and facilitating the translation of innovative research by providing funding support, training, information and guidance to ambitious research projects.
- IP & Commercialisation Team. The IP & Commercialisation team within Research and Innovation provide a University-wide service to help protect and exploit our intellectual property through licensing and spin-out company formation.
- Contracts Team. The Contracts Team provide a range of services to the University including drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts. They offer legal advice for University research and commercial contracts, both pre and post award, including guidance on Non Disclosure and Material transfer agreements (NDAs and MTAs).
- Public Engagement Team. The Public Engagement Team provide support on engagement activities underpinning the three priorities of the Research Strategy 2020-2025. Their mission is to help the research community address urgent problems in our society and the biggest gaps in our knowledge by promoting collaborative working.
List of Facilities
Centre for Data Science & AI |
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The Centre for Data Science & AI supports world-changing, impactful, creative, collaborative, and ethical research in data science with a view to tackling grand challenges and building a better future for all.
Their core 6 programmes include:
- Data Science and AI for Arts and Humanities
- Data Science and AI for Economic and Social Sciences
- Data Science and AI for Engineering and Physical Sciences
- Data Science and AI for Impact and Innovation
- Data Science and AI for Medical Science
- Science of Data Science and AI
MVLS Structural Biology and Biophysical Characterisation Facility |  |
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The MVLS Structural Biology and Biophysical Characterisation Facility focusses on macromolecular structure and function characterisations offering a wide range of biophysical techniques and expertise:
- Analytical Ultracentrifugation (AUC)
- Circular Dichroism (CD)
- Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy (FTIR)
- Isothermal Calorimetry (ITC)
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR)
- X-Ray Crystallography
- Size Exclusion- Multi Angle Light Scattering (SEC-MALS)
- Microscale Thermophoresis (MST)
- Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS)
- Differential Scanning Fluorimetry (DSF)
- Helix Biosensor
Scottish Centre for Macromolecular Imaging (SCMI) |
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The Scottish Centre for Macromolecular Imaging (SCMI) is the Scottish national cryo-electron microscope facility. Equipped with a fully automated JEOL 300 CRYO ARM, and supported by a network of side-entry 200kV microscopes in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, SCMI offers state-of-the-art equipment for both single particle analysis and cryo-electron tomography.
Protein Production Facility |
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The Protein Production Service supports projects across all aspects of the production and purification of recombinant proteins: planning and experimental design, training and assistance with the use of instruments, development of automated purification programs. The facility boasts top of the range ÄKTA purifiers and columns.
MVLS Shared Research Facilities |
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Shared Research Facilities bring together a collection of the College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences' world-leading biological research facilities and expert knowledge that is open to all academic institutions, industrial partners, students and researchers to use. Their services cover Molecular Analysis, Mass Spectrometry, Integrated Protein Analysis, Cellular Analysis, Whole Body Imaging, and Research Computing.
Centre for Virus Research Genomics (CVR Genomics) |
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CVR Genomics is a team of researchers exclusively dedicated to the development and implementation of high-throughput sequencing solutions applied to viruses. The facility supports CVR researchers, external collaborators and provide resources to the broader virology community. CVR Genomics houses an array of specialised equipment, covering different stages of the sequencing process.
Glasgow Precision Oncology Laboratory (GPOL) |
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GPOL supports researchers and industry with molecular tests and laboratory experiments to develop novel precision strategies in oncology. This includes tests for discovery work on patient tumours, including Next Generation Sequencing and RNASeq; and experiments to understand models of disease, through defining the genomic mutational landscape and then through providing molecular phenotypes for clinical trials development.
Spatial Transcriptome Facility |
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The facility encompasses high calibre instruments including: Nanostring GeoMx for profiling whole transcriptomes form a single FFPE; and 10x Genomics Visium next-generation molecular profiling solution for classifying tissue based on total mRNA.
The Metabolomics Facility (Beatson Institute) |
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The Metabolomics facility employs state-of-the-art mass spectrometry techniques to measure small molecule (metabolite) changes in cancer cells, to support cancer metabolism research projects within the Institute.
The Advanced Technology Proteomic Facility(Beatson Institute) |  |
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The Advanced Technology Proteomic Facility develops MS-based platforms and works together with researchers to provide a new level of understanding in tumour biology. We have developed pipelines for the analysis of a wide range of biological samples, from single proteins to the complete proteome of cells, organoids, and tissues.
Flow Cytometry Core Facility |
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The Flow Core Facility provides access to a range of Flow Cytometers. Techniques include multicolour immunophenotyping, cell cycle analysis, identification and isolation of fluorescent protein transfected cells, isolation of rare cell populations, analysis of bacteria and parasite populations, apoptosis assays, and functional assays.
Glasgow Tissue Research Facility (GTRF) |
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The Glasgow Tissue Research Facility (GTRF) provides researchers access to a wide variety of consented tissue including pathology archive samples, surplus diagnostic or surgical tissue, bespoke collections of tissue from NHS Scotland patients can be collected as part of cohort studies or clinical trials.
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Biorepository |
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The NHSGGC Biorepository is an invaluable resource for clinical research, providing access to a wide range of human tissue samples including surplus materials from diagnostic and surgical procedures. We can also provide access, with appropriate governance in place, to pathology archive specimens.
Glasgow Imaging Facility |
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The facility incorporates imaging technologies that cover whole body imaging (resolution in mm), through conventional wide-field, confocal and multi-photon microscopy (resolution in µm), to high-resolution approaches breaking the resolution limit of light (resolution in nm).
Translational Molecular Imaging Centre (Beatson Institute) | |
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The state-of-the-art facilities and equipment include access to a GE cyclotron, dedicated research radiosynthesizers, a small-animal PET/MRI facility and two clinical GE Discovery Time-of-Flight PET/CT scanners. Within the TMI there is expertise in several key areas of imaging, which is further supported by a wide network of expert collaborators.
Imaging Centre of Excellence (ICE) |
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The facility hosts world leading imaging clinical research facilities which provide a nexus for academic, NHS and industrial expertise into brain imaging whilst further strengthening Glasgow’s position as a world leader in precision medicine. most notably, the building includes a 7 Tesla (7T) MRI scanner, an ultra-high resolution scanner which is the first of its kind fully integrated within a clinical site in the UK underpinned by world-leading clinical expertise in stroke, cardiovascular disease and brain imaging. The building accommodates a 3 Tesla MRI scanner and 320 slice/large detector CT.
Glasgow Experimental MRI Centre (GEMRIC) |
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Glasgow Experimental MRI Centre (GEMRIC) is a pre-clinical MRI centre situated within the Garscube Campus of Glasgow University. The centre is housed in a custom-designed building containing two Bruker 7 Tesla pre-clinical MRI scanners, along with a fully equipped surgical suite, animal holding rooms and a physics workshop.
Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging (CCNI) |
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The CCNi mission is to understand how the human brain gives rise to complex cognitive functions, in health and disease. The facility boasts expertise in multi-modal imaging and the fusion of different modalities (EEG-fMRI, TMS-EEG). The CCNi also has world-leading expertise in non-invasive brain stimulation, and we develop novel tools to enhance the precision of these stimulation methods
CRUK RadNet Glasgow Centre |
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CRUK RadNet Glasgow supports both scientists and clinicians to undertake radiation related research and will build a translational research pipeline by integrating radiation biology into existing projects, obtaining funding for new projects and facilitating preliminary data collection to support new applications. Our multidisciplinary programme encompasses discovery science, preclinical research, imaging, biomarkers, clinical radiotherapy research and clinical trials.
CVR Bioinformatics |
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CVR Bioinformatics is a group of computer-based researchers embedded in the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR). The facility has expertise in novel analytical approaches, high-throughput sequencing, and data analyses. The facility works to support CVR researchers and external collaborators, perform independent research and provide resources to the wider virology community.
Bioinformatics Core (School of Infection and Immunity) |
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The facility supports bioinformatic projects across Sii and has expertise with omic data analysis, visualisation and communication, training, and assistance with methods, costing and grant writing.
Bioinformatics & Data Science (Beatson Institute) |
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The facility provides support to scientists at the Institute, covering a range of research projects that require large-scale exploratory data analysis, advanced statistics and mathematical modelling and provide insights that advance our understanding of cancer biology.
Robertson Centre for Biostatistics |
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The facility has expertise in the design, conduct, analysis and interpretation of clinical trials and epidemiological studies and in the development of novel informatics technologies to support their conduct in biostatistics, health informatics, data processing and management, software development, project management and project development.
Social and Public Health Sciences Unit |
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At MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, we conduct high quality research that has a real impact on health and wellbeing, and on reducing health inequalities – both at home and across the globe. The facility has key expertise is database development, data collection and analysis, project, and data management.
Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment (HEHTA) |
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The facility is dedicated to delivering research that has direct impact on clinical practice, population health and health policies, both nationally and internationally. Methodological expertise includes economic evaluation alongside trials, decision analytic modelling, evidence synthesis, population health economics, precision medicine, global HTA, medical statistics and qualitative evaluations.
Glasgow Clinical Trials Unit (GCTU) |
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The GCTU has expertise in the design, conduct, analysis and interpretation of clinical trials and epidemiological studies and in the development of novel informatics technologies to support their conduct in biostatistics, data processing and management, software development, project management and project development.
Drug Screening and Resistance Hub (CRUSH) |
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CRUSH strives to address pandemic preparedness providing access to the specialist knowledge and facilities of the CVR for partners in all sectors of industry and academia. CRUSH is a fully integrated hub with access to bespoke biocontainment facilities and the expertise to support small animal model studies of high consequence viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. Proximity to the CVR’s virology expertise, viral genomics and computational biology capabilities further strengthens the CRUSH offering.
Glasgow University Microbiome Initiative (GUMI) |
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GUMI is a collection of researchers and clinicians from across the University of Glasgow and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde with a passion for microbiome research. In bringing together experts with diverse skillsets and interests in microbiome research under this umbrella, we aim to facilitate collaboration and increase both discovery and translational microbiome research across human and animal health and the environment.
Stage 0: Discovery Research
The earliest stage of a research project. Fundamental discovery research takes place, and preliminary data is collected to establish the feasibility of an idea.
Can take 12 - 18 months.
Experimental
In the first 12-18 months, early-stage projects are focused on the assessment and review of scientific findings, target identification/validation, the characterisation of new technologies.
Taking a technology down a translational pathway towards impact is far from trivial. However, it has a great potential to deliver significant financial, socio-economic, health, and reputational benefits.
Gateway questions:
- Does the technology have a real commercial potential?
- Does the technology address an existing industrial need?
- Does the technology alleviate a bottleneck in production or product development?
Alternative routes to impact:
- Is the innovation based on new methodologies or knowhow?
- Does the technology provide societal or environmental benefits?
- Can the technology form the basis of new products, but is not in itself, commercial, e.g. characterised plant breeding germplasm or microbial libraries?
Business Development
When assessing the potential of a technology or innovation and its route to impact it may be beneficial for researchers to address a number of gateway questions. A number of example questions to be considered, are presented below. Even at this early stage, projects can highly benefit from an opportunity development review with the university TRI Management Team can help identify potential routes to impact.
Enterprise Courses and Industry Events are regularly organised by the TRI and IP & Commercialisation Team and will be available throughout the year.
The Public Engagement team can help support engagement with the wider community through funding and training opportunities, and further resources.
Examples of successful application summaries in plant science and crop protection at the University of Glasgow:
- Bacteriocins based seed treatments - early-stage application
- Sci-Seedlets - Plant science education through play
- SOLASTA Bio - Bio-insecticides
Discovery Research Grant Funding
- BBSRC: Discovery Fellowships are aimed at researchers who are seeking to conduct their own independent research within a host laboratory. Applicants must provide evidence of working towards a translational project, demonstrating drive to pursue independent work within a host organisation: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/bbsrc-discovery-fellowships-2022/
- EPSRC: The Engineering and Physical Science Research Council areas of investment are focused, but not limited to bioscience, bioenergy, biomaterials, bio-based low carbon manufacturing: https://www.ukri.org/councils/epsrc/guidance-for-applicants/epsrc-remit
- Wellcome Institutional Translational Partnership (iTPA): This funding source, supports researchers working on early-stage projects with a clear translational impact focus: https://wellcome.org
- BBSRC Agri-Tech Catalyst: The Agri-Tech Catalyst aims to support businesses and academics in developing innovative solutions to address challenges in the Agri-Tech sector.
- Scottish Enterprise Market Research Service: A free service offering tailored research into international and domestic markets.
Stage 1: Ideas and Identification
Can take 18-24 months.
Experimental
At this stage, as researchers consider the route to impact for their innovations, it might be beneficial to address a number of gateway questions, shown below. For additional support, an opportunity audit with the university TRI Management Team can help identify potential routes to translation. The MVLS Research Impact Support Team can help explore ways in which you can create impact from your work more widely.
Gateway questions:
- Is the effect of your technology reproducible in the originating and collaborator labs?
- Is the effect size big enough for your technology to become a viable product?
- Does your technology perform as expected during scale-up to near-commercial conditions?
Alternative routes to impact:
- If your innovation is based on new methodologies or knowhow, alternative use scenarios (e.g. application to other crop species) need to be considered.
- If your technology provides societal or environmental benefits, partnerships with governmental, non-governmental or grassroots organisations will need to be identified to facilitate its translation.
- If your technology can form the basis of new products, but is not in itself commercial (e.g. characterised plant breeding germplasm or microbial libraries), steps need to be taken to understand how these resources will be used to create future impact.
Business Development
- Opportunity development reviews, Licensing/Invention disclosures and Tech Transfer referrals (RIS).
- RIS: legal advice & IP (initial IP search for patentability and file provisional patent);
- TRI MT: information on Non-disclosure agreements and material transfer agreements.
From a commercial perspective, a critical first step is to evaluate the patentability of a technology, see below for more information. Within an academic setting, this can be complicated by the need to quickly publish research findings. Although editorial boards of academic journals are becoming more accommodating with authors wishing to withhold proprietary data whilst still being able to publish, other journals remain quite strict. Therefore, it is important for researchers to align with the university IP strategy in relation to technologies that might have commercial potential.
RIS: legal advice & IP (initial IP search for patentability and file provisional patent).
IP landscaping:
Within an academic setting, providing a brief technology resume to a university intellectual property expert (opportunity audit) for an IP search will reveal whether similar inventions have already been filed, and whether the institute has freedom to operate around supporting technologies that might be needed for an invention to work.
Alternative routes to impact:
In the case of alternative routes to impact where no claims for IP are to be made (for example, provision of germplasm, microbial libraries, knowhow and methodologies), freedom to operate on background, or supporting IP used in the development of these innovations or technologies will need to be evaluated to avoid infringements.
Discovery Research Grant Funding
Translational Funding Calls such as:
- BBSRC IAA: Impact Accelerator Account, aimed at early-stage translational projects to take them on the next steps along the translational pathway. Facilitates impact agendas including forging and strengthening collaborators. It covers 6 - 12 month projects at TRL 2 – 4.
- EPSRC: The Engineering and Physical Science Research Council funds areas of investment potentially relevant to bioscience, bioenergy, biomaterials, or bio-based low carbon manufacturing.
Note: When assessing project potential, the TRI review panel looks at a variety of different aspects of the project. For more information, please see the TRI Translational Research video.
External Translational Funding:
The Public Engagement Team can help support engagement with the wider community through funding, training and further resources.
Stage 2: Early Concept Validation
Can typically take 18-24 months.
Experimental
As the technology enters a pre-commercial phase of development, funding may be needed to de-risk prototype development and conduct additional testing (see ‘Business development’ below). In addition, an opportunity audit with the university TRI Management Team can help identify potential routes to impact.
For more guidance on impact and commercialisation support, the TRI are offering Industry champion support for eligible projects.
Business Development
Business development at this stage is largely framed by three activities:
- TRI MT/TTO, legal advice & IP; information on Non-disclosure agreements and material transfer agreements.
- TRI MT feedback & support, Enterprise Bootcamps and Training.
- Opportunity audit: During this informative discussion, experts can help you identify the size of your opportunity. Guidance from internal sources within the university TRI management team is also available to help researchers appreciate the potential of their innovation for commercialisation.
Translational Research Funding
Identification of funding:
As a technology progresses down the development pipeline towards commercialisation, sources of funding shift away from university internal and academic streams (like BBSRC), and towards product-led funding pots offered by Innovate UK (see links to external funding below). Academic researchers might often see industry and de-risking pots of money from Innovate UK as the way to go. However, prematurely offering a technology to industry and promising too much before you identify your assets, can be a mistake that can quickly lead to reduced credibility and difficulties in securing commercial investment in the future.
Links to external funding:
- BBSRC Responsive Mode (always open)
- BBSRC Responsive Mode ‘spotlights’ list of research priorities.
- Innovate UK current open calls.
- EPSRC: The Engineering and Physical Science Research Council areas of investment potentially relevant, but not limited to to bioscience, bioenergy, biomaterials, bio-based low carbon manufacturing.
- TRI Funding Calendar.
- BBSRC FoF.
- Protected and Controlled Environment Horticulture Grants: Invited applicants, who previously registered an Expression of Interest, can apply for funding for innovation-focused research about Protected and Controlled Environment Horticulture. This is a single programme running from 2023 to 2027 with 1 funding round. Awards may last for 2 to 4 years.
- IBioIC.
Internal Translational Research Funding:
Translational Funding Calls such as:
- BBSRC IAA: Impact Accelerator Accounts are aimed at early-stage translational projects, to take them on the next steps along the translational pathway. These funding opportunities facilitate impact agendas including forging and strengthening collaborators. The funding typically covers 6 - 12 month project at TRL 2 - 4.
Stage 3: Concept Progression
Once a technology has passed technical proof of concept (TPOC)* and there is an established understanding about where it might fit as a commercial product, its next steps include demonstrating commercial proof of concept (CPOC), demonstrating whether the innovation has the potential to be scaled up to a commercial product. At this stage in the development pipeline, activities need to be aligned towards CPOC and towards the development of a prototype product.
Can take 18-24 months.
* Where an idea has been shown to be technically feasible.
Experimental
Depending on potential commercial use scenarios for CPOC, R&D at this stage needs to address potential barriers to commercialisation, which can include:
- Product shelf life, e.g. storage requirements
- Product application rate, e.g. transport costs associated with large product volumes (an example of this would be in-furrow application of a bio fertiliser)
- Mode of use, e.g. does the user need to invest in new or novel equipment to implement the technology?
All of the above scenarios require industrial R&D, but often the technology provider will need to address these questions at this early commercialisation stage.
Business Development
At this point in product development the business strategy might include a deep dive in:
- Competing products
Competing products are all products that address the same industry need or problem. Taking bio-pesticides as an example, such products need to compete on cost, ease of use and efficacy with existing products or chemical solutions.
- Scale-up and efficiency at scale
For example, if a product needs to be sprayed on a crop, an efficacious concentration of the active substance needs to be established and tested in an appropriate industry setting,it will need to be proven compatible with other commonly-used products, and, above all, the technology needs to be reliable.
- IP audit and secondary filing
If a preliminary filing has been made (see above, ‘Ideas Development’) and has not progressed, a new filing may be made at this stage. A search and substantive examination based on data from research that has taken place in the intervening twelve months can also be requested.
Translational Research Funding
External Funding:
Opportunities and support are offered by:
- Innovate UK: helps business-led innovations grow through the development and commercialisation of new products, processes, and services, supported by an agile, inclusive, and easy to navigate innovation ecosystem
- BBSRC FoF: follow on funding (FoF) to help bridge gaps between early-stage bioscience research and innovation and achieving wider commercial, economic and societal benefit
- Scottish Enterprise SMART: Scotland Grants: research and development (R&D) grants aiming to support high-risk, highly ambitious projects. They cover conducting feasibility studies and are only available to small and medium enterprises based in Scotland to support activities that have a commercial endpoint.
For more opportunities, see our TRI Funding Calendar.
Funding links:
- Innovate UK current open calls.
- BBSRC FoF.
- Scottish Enterprise – Life Science Scotland.
Investment Possibilities:
VC, Angel investment.
Stage 4: Scale-Up of Concept
The journey from technical proof of concept (TPOC) to commercial proof of concept (CPOC), commercial proof of concept, where a technology has the potential to be scaled up into a commercial product, requires the identification of industrial partnerships and de-risking funding opportunitiesfrom government sources . The question of whether, or when to register a spinout company is also a factor at this stage. However, spinning out before a technology is mature can create its own problems by potentially lengthening the time between commercialisation and first revenue.
Can be 12-18 months.
Experimental
Taking a technology from technical proof of concept (TPOC) to commercial proof of concept (CPOC) incudes:
- Industrial prototype development
A prototype can take many forms, but whatever the technology, it will closely resemble the product to be released commercially.
- Collaborative R&D with industrial partners
In the event of any glitches that may occur during prototype development, and even if the technology provider is already working with a commercial partner(s), commercial R&D teams will be looking to address any faults and seek solutions by contacting the originating laboratory that developed the innovation.
- Evaluating efficacy at industrial scale and troubleshooting
Once a problem has been identified, it will need to be remedied quickly and efficiently to maintain investor confidence.
Business Development
As a product moves towards CPOC, activities underpinning pre-product and prototype testing include:
- Price sensitivity survey
An industrial partner or third-party organisation (marketing company) can conduct an independent evaluation (questionnaire) of potential customers on the perceived value of a technology or innovation if it were to be introduced onto the market.
- Prototype evaluation by industry partners
Unless there is a compelling reason for deviation, e.g. an overwhelming commercial imperative for adoption of a new technological innovation, a prototype must fit within the prevailing industrial use parameters.
- Marketplace risk factors identified
Risk factors can include release of similar products by competitors, a change in the economic climate that might reduce commercial interest, or a price sensitivity survey indicating that the market is not ready or willing to pay a premium for or switch to an alternative solution.
Translational Research Funding
External funding:
- Partnering and funding opportunities with the Agri-Tech Centres.
- Innovate UK: helps business-led innovations grow through the development and commercialisation of new products, processes, and services, supported by an agile, inclusive, and easy to navigate innovation ecosystem.
- BBSRC FoF: follow on funding (FoF) to help bridge gaps between early-stage bioscience research and innovation and achieving wider commercial, economic and societal benefit,
- Scottish Enterprise SMART: Scotland Grants: research and development (R&D) grants aiming to support high-risk, highly ambitious projects. They cover conducting feasibility studies and are only available to small and medium enterprises based in Scotland to support activities that have a commercial endpoint.
- Advisors/consultants, industry engagement, TRI Funding Calendar.
Investment Possibilities:
VC, Angel investment.
This stage can typically take 5 - 6 years.
Stage 5: End Goal/Exit
Exit from the university research environment is generally accepted to have occurred when a company has spun-out or a technology has been licensed to commercial companies. Spinning out has the potential to maximise financial returns and prestige to the university, but it also carries increased risk. At a practical level, members of the research team, including PIs, need to decide whether to exit from the university for full time employment with the new spinout company or retain their academic posts and position in the new company on a part-time basis.
Can take 18-24 months.
Experimental
Regardless of what individual PIs or researchers decide regarding their role in a new spinout company, they will need to provide continued R&D support to their industrial partners. In addition, on-going support will be needed in the development of products in new industrial settings or geographical locations where use cases and regulatory requirements may vary.
Business Development
Spinning out:
If the innovation is a platform or disruptive technology with a wide application to a range of products, a spinout company may be formed at this stage given that sufficient commercial backing can be identified. Spinning out a company too soon may lead to a longer industrial development stage and related difficulties in retaining investor commitment. Timeframes of more than five years from spinout to revenue are often unacceptable to venture capital investors, whilst commercial investors might have a more realistic and patient view on investment, if the potential returns are lucrative.
Licensing and divestment:
If a technology is anticipated to only lead to a limited range of products or industrial applications, licensing will likely be the best option. This would still generate income for further research and impact that may help secure further research funding. Divesting a spinout company to a larger commercial entity might also be seen as preferable to a long-term commitment of university resources and staff time to the development of further products.
Opportunities and resources:
Partnering and funding opportunities with the Agri-Tech Centres.
Spin out/start-up company, exit: sold in entirety for one-off deal to a company.
Licences (RIS)
Can typically take around 1-2 years.
Funding Opportunities
- Scottish Enterprise SMART: Scotland Grants: research and development (R&D) grants aiming to support high-risk, highly ambitious projects. They cover conducting feasibility studies and are only available to small and medium enterprises based in Scotland to support activities that have a commercial endpoint.
- Investment VC,
- Angel investment.
Translational Research Projects
Many projects have been successfully translated with the help and support of the TRI; some of which are described in our case studies.
Previously funded translational projects can be found below each of our funding opportunities.
For further advice, please see our Applying for Translational Research Funding Video.