̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge - Andy Neely

New Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation appointed

hcf38 — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 12:06:58 +0000

Dr O’Brien will take over from current Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor Andy Neely, whose term of office finishes at the end of February. Dr O’Brien, who has a PhD in Physics from the ̽��ֱ�� of Sheffield and a degree in Materials Science from Trinity College Dublin, joined Cambridge Enterprise from Trinity College Dublin, where he was Chief Innovation Officer. At Cambridge Enterprise he has led a new strategy which has supported activities such as the establishment of Innovate Cambridge, the formation of Founders at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, the integration and renewal of ideaSpace and the commencement of the Technology Investment Fund to support the development of ̽��ֱ�� intellectual property.

“ ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� and the broader Cambridge ecosystem are recognised as being globally leading for innovation, enterprise and entrepreneurship,” said Dr O’Brien. “I have seen this first-hand from my role as Chief Executive of Cambridge Enterprise and in helping to establish Innovate Cambridge. I look forward to my new role as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation and continuing to enhance the ambition for how the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge can enable impact from our research and through our innovation partnerships.”

He replaces Professor Andy Neely, who has served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations since March 2017, and received an OBE for services to ̽��ֱ��/Industry Collaboration in 2020. Professor Neely’s achievements as Pro-Vice-Chancellor included leading the ̽��ֱ��’s Recovery Programme helping the ̽��ֱ�� respond to the coronavirus pandemic, overseeing the establishment of the Change and Programme Management Board, as well as building far stronger links with the local and regional innovation community through important initiatives such as Innovate Cambridge.

Professor Neely said: “I’m honoured to have served in this role for seven years and delighted that Diarmuid has been appointed as my successor. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge’s impact on the world is significantly enhanced by our engagement with business and our world-leading innovation ecosystem and I have no doubt that this will go from strength to strength under Diarmuid’s leadership”.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice welcomed Dr O’Brien to the role and thanked Professor Neely for his service.

She said: “I warmly congratulate Diarmuid on being appointed to this important role. With his wealth of experience in driving innovation, most recently at Cambridge Enterprise, he will help ensure no momentum is lost in the handover from the previous Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Andy Neely.
“I would like to put on record my sincerest thanks to Andy for his service to Cambridge, both as an academic leader and as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations. I know I speak on behalf of all ̽��ֱ�� colleagues when I say how grateful we are for what he has achieved in that role over the past seven years.”

̽��ֱ��Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation is broadly the same role as the current Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations role, but with an enhanced focus on industry, enterprise and innovation.

Dr O’Brien takes up the role in April, and will remain in his current capacity at Cambridge Enterprise for one day a week to provide continuity and connection with Cambridge Enterprise.

There are five Pro-Vice-Chancellors at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge. Their role is to work in partnership with senior administrators to help drive strategy and policy development. ̽��ֱ��Pro-Vice-Chancellors also support the Vice-Chancellor in providing academic leadership to the ̽��ֱ��.

Dr Diarmuid O’Brien has been appointed as the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge’s new Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation. He is currently Chief Executive of Cambridge Enterprise, the ̽��ֱ��’s commercialisation arm which supports academics, researchers, staff and students in achieving knowledge transfer and research impact.

RMG Photography

Dr Diarmuid O’Brien

̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright © ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.

Yes

Cambridge partners with AstraZeneca and Medical Research Council on new world-class functional genomics laboratory

skbf2 — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 10:30:22 +0000

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge today announced a partnership with AstraZeneca and the Medical Research Council (MRC) to establish a new state-of-the-art functional genomics laboratory at the Milner Therapeutics Institute (MTI). ̽��ֱ��laboratory will become part of the UK’s Human Functional Genomics Initiative, contributing to the UK’s ambition of having the most advanced genomic healthcare system in the world.

Functional genomics investigates the effects and impacts of genetic changes in our DNA, and particularly how these contribute to disease. CRISPR makes it possible to test specific DNA alterations in a controlled way to investigate the effects and impacts of genetic changes in our DNA, revealing their effects on biological processes that cause disease. Finding these disease drivers is a key first step in the process of identifying potentially life-changing medicines for patients.

̽��ֱ��new facility, which will be located within the MTI on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, will provide researchers from across the UK with access to large-scale biological and technological tools and house an advanced automated arrayed-CRISPR screening platform. It is hoped that through the use of tools, such as CRISPR gene editing to provide insights into the relationship between genes and disease, scientists will discover new opportunities to develop therapies for chronic diseases including cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic disease.

Professor Tony Kouzarides, Director of the Milner Therapeutics Institute, said: “ ̽��ֱ��best science is founded on collaboration, and I am delighted that the Milner Therapeutics Institute is partnering with the MRC and AstraZeneca to launch this unique functional genomics laboratory. This will enable sharing of expertise and resources to deliver new diagnostics and treatments for people with chronic diseases.”

Professor Andy Neely, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, said: “This new collaboration with AstraZeneca and MRC is a fantastic example of industry and academia working together to drive forward science that will have a real impact on people’s health in the UK and around the world.”

Dr Jonathan Pearce, Director of Strategy and Planning, MRC, said: “We are working across UK Research and Innovation to improve health, ageing and wellbeing. Our investment in this new laboratory builds on the UK’s global leadership in genomics. Our support will enable the laboratory’s launch and provide access for researchers from across the UK. Through this investment, and the wider Human Functional Genomics Initiative, we will enhance the national ecosystem needed to improve our understanding of how genetic variance impacts health and disease.”

Sharon Barr, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, said: “Collaboration is crucial to achieving our ambition of transforming healthcare and delivering life-changing medicines for patients, and innovative partnership such as this one, allow us to share resources and expertise to advance science. This new laboratory created as part of the Human Functional Genomics Initiative, will be world-leading and will play a central role in shaping future functional genomics work across the UK and beyond.”

̽��ֱ��lab, which is expected to become operational in 2024, will provide a centre of excellence and national resource that combines the strengths and expertise of academia and industry. Its creation is part of a new partnership formed between MTI, AstraZeneca and MRC, and builds upon expertise gained through an existing collaboration between MTI, AstraZeneca and Cancer Research Horizons, known as the AstraZeneca-Cancer Research Horizons Functional Genomics Centre (FGC) that has been enabling advances in oncology research since 2018. ̽��ֱ��FGC is currently housed in the MTI and will be relocating next year.

MTI, AstraZeneca and the MRC’s Human Functional Genomics Initiative will share facilities, resources and knowledge working closely together to facilitate faster progress and innovations.

̽��ֱ��facility, based at the Milner Therapeutics Institute, will support the discovery of new medicines and diagnostics for chronic diseases by applying advanced biological and technological tools, including CRISPR gene editing.

A fantastic example of industry and academia working together to drive forward science that will have a real impact on people’s health in the UK and around the world.

Andy Neely

Milner Therapeutics Institute

Scientist looking down microscope

̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright © ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – as here, on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.

Yes

Strategy unveiled to boost innovation in Cambridge

skbf2 — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 15:55:21 +0000

̽��ֱ��Innovate Cambridge Summit saw over 400 leaders from across the civic, business and academic working communities to support the science and technology cluster to maintain its position as a world leader amid fierce international competition.

Cambridge has evolved into a global innovation hub over the last 30 years, with over 5,500 knowledge-intensive businesses generating revenues exceeding £20bn annually and 23 billion-dollar unicorn companies born in the city. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge is also the number one university in the world for producing successful tech founders, ahead of Harvard and MIT, with over 500 alumni founders raising more than $10 million in funding.

Recognising this, the city and its innovation ecosystem is now presented with a generational opportunity to maximise economic and social return. International benchmarking indicates that Cambridge can do more to enhance its position in the global innovation landscape.

This new home-grown innovation strategy, which has had input from 200 organisations, including Cambridge Enterprise, the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, Cambridge Innovation Capital, AstraZeneca, Microsoft, ARM, Darktrace, Cambridge City Council, and Cambridge County Council and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority will propel the ecosystem towards a groundbreaking future.

In the past twelve months, the Cambridge ecosystem has seen significant collaboration, with over 200 organisations endorsing an Innovation Charter and extensive consultations involving more than 500 individuals to craft an innovation strategy. ̽��ֱ��culmination of these efforts, Innovate Cambridge, seeks to leverage the city's unique position as a driver of Britain’s growth, fostering collaboration, and catalysing innovation for the benefit of local communities and the broader UK.

In pursuit of this vision, Innovate Cambridge has identified three strategic goals:

An innovation ecosystem firing on all cylinders. Innovate Cambridge envisions improved health and social care, optimised energy use, and enhanced agricultural outcomes through world-leading life sciences research and AI applications. ̽��ֱ��focus will be on creating a green growth strategy, fostering economic growth, and supporting social infrastructure.
Ensuring the innovation ecosystem provides value and impact for the local community. Innovate Cambridge aims to increase collaboration within and beyond the region, formalising partnerships with other innovation hubs and economic centres. ̽��ֱ��initiative strives to deliver high-quality employment and training opportunities while ensuring benefits extend beyond geographical limits.
Forming partnerships with other regions and collaborators to drive scale and deliver social and economic benefits. By 2035, Innovate Cambridge aims to achieve significant economic, social, and environmental impact through collaborations and partnerships. Practical infrastructure issues, such as water scarcity and transportation, are addressed in conjunction with local government and Cambridge Ahead.

"Innovation is critical to local, national and global prosperity and central to the UK's economic success. Cambridge is the UK's leading research-based innovation ecosystem. A recent analysis found that spinouts and start-ups associated with the ̽��ֱ�� contributed over £18bn to the UK economy and there are many other companies within the Cambridge ecosystem without a direct connection to the ̽��ֱ�� that make a further significant contribution." Professor Andy Neely OBE, Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge

“ ̽��ֱ��City Council has an important placemaking and leadership role for the whole city. We want Cambridge to be an even better place to live, work and study, and ensure the city maintains its status as a global innovation hub. Cambridge also has significant challenges around health inequalities, housing affordability, and life changes for disadvantaged young people. That’s why it's vital successful businesses, innovators, and entrepreneurs that have benefited from the unique, nurturing, innovation environment in Cambridge to give back to the city in a more tangible way.” Robert Pollock, Chief Executive, Cambridge City Council

"This strategy represents a pivotal moment for the innovation ecosystem in Cambridge. ̽��ֱ��collaboration of over 200 organisations has yielded a strategic roadmap that provides a shared vision for Cambridge as a global innovation hub. This initiative, rooted in inclusivity and sustainability, will drive positive economic and social impacts for the local community. Cambridge Enterprise is proud to be part of this ambitious endeavour, and we look forward to fostering groundbreaking discoveries and translating them into world-changing businesses." Dr Diarmuid O'Brien, Chief Executive, Cambridge Enterprise

“Innovation is critical to local, national and global prosperity and central to the wider UK growth agenda, and Cambridge remains the most intensive science and technological cluster in the world. It is an ecosystem where companies have the potential to go from lab to market quicker than anywhere else. We excel in life sciences, deep tech, and interdisciplinary research; and the city is home to a blend of start-ups and global leaders. ̽��ֱ��fact that so many of those stakeholders and businesses have now come up with an inclusive, forward-looking plan to ensure the city continues to innovate, compete, and deliver impact on a global scale, fills me with enormous pride.” Michael Anstey, Partner, Cambridge Innovation Capital

News release first published by Cambridge Enterprise

An ambitious new strategy to nurture and grow its innovation ecosystem has been unveiled at Cambridge summit.

̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright © ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – as here, on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.

Yes

New electric buses roll out to carry students, staff and public on extended Universal route

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 13:51:57 +0000

Subsidised by the ̽��ֱ��, but open to everyone, the U bus has been operating for 20 years. ̽��ֱ�� staff and students use the service, as well as Eddington residents, sixth-form students, shoppers, tourists and key workers.

Professor Andy Neely, Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations, said: " ̽��ֱ��U bus service supports growth and the local economy and is the only privately operated and funded fully electric bus service in the UK.

" ̽��ֱ��service has bucked the national trend by exceeding pre-COVID ridership levels this year. 2022/23 has been the busiest year ever on the Universal bus, with more than 719,000 passengers."

Professor Ian Leslie, Chair of the ̽��ֱ��’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy Committee and Transport Working Group, said: " ̽��ֱ��Universal bus supports the university’s commitment to environmental sustainability, in particular sustainable business travel, as well as its work to meet the access requirements of all students.

"From the beginning of the new academic year (2 October 2023) the bus route will enable Girton, Homerton, Selwyn, Newnham and Wolfson Colleges to have more convenient access to the service, as well as buses now going to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus (Addenbrooke’s site) at the weekends as well as on weekdays."

Jonathan Ziebart, Managing Director at Ascendal UK, parent company to Whippet, said: " ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ��’s latest investment will see a fleet of fully electric buses, offering cutting-edge technology and innovative safety features to provide a truly premium travel experience. Some of the key features include a state-of-the-art Camera Monitoring System replacing the need for wing mirrors. In parallel, we will be cascading our former Universal buses across Whippet’s local bus network, helping to improve passenger experience whilst lowering emissions."

Nicoletta Gennaro, Group Head of Marketing and Customer Experience for Ascendal, said: "After many months of intensive effort, we are proud of the passenger-centric environment we have created on our new vehicles. We have dedicated special attention to customer experience, providing our passengers with high-quality vegan leather seats, and other features such as wireless charging, stop buttons on each seat, and high-quality WiFi."

̽��ֱ��standard single journey fare is £2, however ̽��ֱ�� card holders (students and staff) can travel on the U bus for £1 per single trip. ̽��ֱ��new contract will provide a ‘split service’, with half of Universal buses serving Girton College at the northern end of the route, and half routed along Grange Road and Newnham Road to better serve Wolfson College, with some returning to Hills Road to connect with Homerton College and the Faculty of Education.

̽��ֱ��new buses all have sustainability-themed names chosen from a selection of imaginative suggestions put forward by pupils at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge Primary School in Eddington. ̽��ֱ��bus names are: Bus Lightyear, Pollution Solution, Net-Zero Hero, Greenhopper, ̽��ֱ��Sustainable Hulk, ̽��ֱ��Peregreen Falcon, Eco Eddie, Lightning McGreen and ̽��ֱ��Green Clean Machine.

A new fleet of nine electric buses will operate on an extended Universal bus route from October, after the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and Whippet buses announced a new 8-year contract for the popular Cambridge service.

̽��ֱ��U bus service supports growth and the local economy and is the only privately operated and funded fully electric bus service in the UK.

Professor Andy Neely, Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations

Members of the ̽��ֱ�� team who have worked to bring new electric buses to the Universal service

̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright © ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – as here, on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.

Yes

New initiative to promote innovation in the Greater Cambridge area

skbf2 — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 12:51:02 +0000

Innovate Cambridge is an initiative to create an inclusive vision for the future of Cambridge and its innovation ecosystem. ̽��ֱ��initiative was launched in September 2022 by the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, Cambridge Enterprise and Cambridge Innovation Capital. Organisations that have signed up to its charter include local government, start-ups, universities, science parks and investors. As well as announcing its first 100 signatories, Innovate Cambridge has also appointed an Executive Director and established a steering committee.

Tabitha Goldstaub, co-founder of festival and online platform CogX and a UK government advisor, has been appointed Innovate Cambridge’s Executive Director and the Rt Hon. Lord Willetts as Chair of its Steering Committee. Other members of the Steering Committee include Professor Andy Neely, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, Professor Yvonne Barnett, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation for Anglia Ruskin ̽��ֱ��, Shaun Grady, AstraZeneca’s Senior Vice-President Business Development Operations and Robert Pollock, Chief Executive of Cambridge City Council.

Cambridge has been a global leader in innovation for decades, with its two universities, thriving start-up community, global businesses and strong investment network. But, “standing still is not an option,” said Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO of Cambridge Enterprise: “Many cities and regions across the world are rapidly getting organised to secure their futures. We must learn from and build on their experiences.”

̽��ֱ��next step, according to Michael Anstey, Partner at Cambridge Innovation Capital, is for the signatories to the Charter, “to come together to define, and then implement, an inclusive, forward-looking vision for the ecosystem, which ensures the City continues to innovate, compete, and deliver impact on a global scale well into the future.”

Professor Andy Neely, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, said: “Cambridge has made a difference to the lives of millions of people around the world. A constant source of new ideas and innovations, the Cambridge innovation ecosystem spawns new ideas, technologies and insights that change the way we live and learn. ̽��ֱ��charter is a really exciting next step in the development of the Cambridge innovation ecosystem, bringing together key organisations and people to help shape the future of Greater Cambridge and ensure that together we continue to contribute to society.”

Read about some of the Cambridge start-ups that are having an impact in the UK and around the world here.

100 organisations, including AstraZeneca, Microsoft and Arm, have signed up to a new charter to boost the Cambridge innovation ecosystem and help it address global challenges, announced Innovate Cambridge today (8 December 2022).

̽��ֱ��charter is a really exciting next step in the development of the Cambridge innovation ecosystem, bringing together key organisations and people to help shape the future of Greater Cambridge and ensure that together we continue to contribute to society.

Andy Neely, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations

Innovate Cambridge

Tabitha Goldstaub, Innovate Cambridge’s Executive Director

̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright © ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – as here, on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.

Yes

BP Institute to be renamed the Institute for Energy and Environmental Flows (IEEF), ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 10:22:31 +0000

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge has decided to rename the BP Institute. It will now be called the Institute for Energy and Environmental Flows (IEEF). This decision has been made to better reflect the scope of the Institute’s research and its focus on energy transition. By changing its name the Institute hopes to prevent misunderstandings about its research work, promote further interdisciplinary collaboration, and facilitate more diverse fundraising externally.

Professor Andy Woods, Director of the IEEF, said:

“The researchers in the Institute are working to develop the scientific and technical solutions we need to support the energy transition, from enabling superfast battery charging systems and improving the performance of wind turbines, to the decarbonisation of heating systems and improving the efficiency and safety of carbon storage techniques. This name change reflects the breadth of research carried out at the IEEF, as we continue to build a low-carbon economy.”

̽��ֱ��IEEF’s research projects now cover a wide range of technologies that support both the energy transition and environmental sustainability:

a. modelling decarbonisation of buildings (for example, St John’s College, Cambridge);

b. investigating heat transfer to enable superfast battery charging and research into optimising the power generated from arrays of wind turbines;

c. investigating the fluid mechanics of carbon storage in deep saline aquifers, a key strand of the IPCC strategy to reach the 1.5C target;

d. new models for bubble release from electrolysers to improve their efficiency, a key challenge for the use of hydrogen to store energy;

e. models for the dispersal of particles through the ocean to better understand the environmental impact of deep-sea mining.

̽��ֱ��proposed name also emphasises the independence of the Institute’s research: the Institute publishes more than 50 papers a year in leading international journals.

̽��ֱ��IEEF will continue to receive funding from BP for projects that address shared goals related to the energy transition, but as with any project no partner is able to direct research. As part of this commitment to tackling climate change, the ̽��ֱ�� engages with carefully chosen partners across the energy sector whose specialist skills, expertise and access to global markets can help significantly accelerate toward Net Zero. Collaboration with our energy sector partners accelerates global energy transition in a number of ways, including:

Access to expertise across a global energy distribution network, which delivers power to the mobile phone in your pocket, or the electric car charging on the street.

Experience across a diverse range of engineering, chemical and technical disciplines which provides the ̽��ֱ�� with the global scale required to realise the tangible outcome of our research.

Professor Andy Neely, Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Enterprise and Business Relations), said:

“ ̽��ֱ��decision to rename the Institute was made to better reflect the research carried out at the IEEF and be clear about its independence.

“Presently, the world’s energy system is dominated by fossil fuels, and while an energy transition is urgent, it is not possible at the pace and scale required without the current industry’s involvement and willingness to transition. Working with carefully chosen partners from the energy sector on energy transition projects is necessary to develop replacements at a scale that can generate the energy the world needs without a sudden disruption to the global economy that would plunge billions of people into darkness and disrupt vital networks of trade and humanitarian support.”

̽��ֱ��change of name better reflects the scope of the Institute’s research which for several years has been focused on the energy transition and environmental sustainability. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge will continue to work with carefully selected partners from across the energy sector on research to support the global energy transition.

Yes

Cambridge recognised for its leadership in knowledge exchange

Anonymous — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 11:05:29 +0000

Cambridge secured the highest performance scores in many areas of knowledge exchange, with very high engagement for intellectual property (IP) commercialisation, research partnerships, working with business, and working with the public and third sectors.

̽��ֱ��KEF provides a range of information about the knowledge exchange activities of English higher education institutions – in other words, how each institution works with external partners, from businesses to community groups, for the benefit of the economy and society.

When compared with its peer group in cluster ‘V’ (very large, research-intensive universities), Cambridge shows:

very high engagement for research partnerships, as measured by co-authorship with non-academic partners and contributions to collaborative research
very high engagement for IP and commercialisation, and working with business
very high engagement for working with the public and third sector, as measured by income from contract research, consultancy and the provision of facilities and equipment services to these partners
high engagement for public and community engagement in line with the cluster average.

Professor Andy Neely, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations at Cambridge, said: “ ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge has a fantastically rich knowledge exchange ecosystem. Here, unique and constantly-evolving support systems, physical spaces and development opportunities exist to enable the pursuit, dissemination and application of world-leading research and knowledge for the benefit of society.

“This ecosystem, together with productive relationships with our industry partners, many of them stretching back over decades with a shared history of innovation, and the many opportunities for public engagement, helps ensure that Cambridge is a vibrant and welcoming place for knowledge exchange.”

Dr Karen Kennedy, Director of the Strategic Partnerships Office, added: “By working in partnership with businesses and other organisations, we are able to turn our research into new technologies, therapeutics and applications that will make a positive difference to people’s lives, both in the UK and around the world. ̽��ֱ��KEF has an important role to play in highlighting the value of such collaborations and we are delighted that Cambridge has been recognised for its strength in this regard.”

Partnerships

Combining expertise at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge with the insights, resources and capabilities of commercial partners enhances the ability to change lives through, for example, pioneering new cures for disease, making breakthroughs in energy transition and shaping a more sustainable, more equitable future.

This has led, for instance, to the launch of the Cambridge Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine in partnership with AstraZeneca and GSK, the creation of a recruitment programme for neurodiverse individuals in partnership with Aviva, and a partnership with KPMG to look at the future of work, starting with mental wellbeing.

With support from Cambridge Zero, which aims to maximise the ̽��ֱ��’s contribution towards achieving a resilient and sustainable zero-carbon world, work has been ongoing to establish broad academic–industry networks to promote wider collaborations in key decarbonisation challenge areas. In addition, a partnership with South Korean investment group WP Investment Company (WPIC) is seeking to progress research in sustainable energy systems, particularly the production of lithium and its use in batteries for electric vehicles.

Commercialisation

Cambridge scored highly for its IP commercialisation, in part because of work done by Cambridge Enterprise, the ̽��ֱ��’s commercialisation arm. Cambridge Enterprise works with academics to protect, develop and move innovations based on ̽��ֱ�� research toward the market. Early stage innovations are licensed to existing companies for development or spun out as new companies. ̽��ֱ��goal is getting early stage ideas out of labs and into use, for the benefit of society and the economy.

Dr Diarmuid O'Brien, Chief Executive of Cambridge Enterprise, said: “ ̽��ֱ�� research and innovation have a vital role to play in confronting huge global challenges such as climate change. That is our mission, to help the ̽��ֱ��’s researchers bring positive change to the world through their research.”

In the financial year 2020-2021, Cambridge Enterprise approved £5.7m of investments in 21 companies, 7 of which were at seed stage. Among these were three companies developing new technologies focused on reducing carbon emissions – Nyobolt, Echion Technologies and Carbon Re. These three companies collectively raised over £20 million of investment and are helping to move the world to a more sustainable future.

Cambridge Enterprise is part of an extensive support infrastructure that helps postdocs, academics and staff plan, launch and fund successful ventures. Cambridge Enterprise and the Entrepreneurial Postdocs of Cambridge, for instance, together run an annual Postdoc Business Plan Competition designed to help accelerate the creation of businesses based on Cambridge research.

Now in its eighth year, the competition has led 73 teams through a programme of training, mentoring and business plan iteration. These 73 teams have gone on to raise over £69 million in investment. Among the winners of the competition is Dr Giorgia Longobardi (pictured), whose spin-out Cambridge GaN Devices has developed a range of power devices using the energy-efficient semiconductor gallium nitride, heralding a new era of greener electronics. ̽��ֱ��£20,000 first prize in 2016 was invested in, and helped accelerate, the company.

Public engagement

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ��’s public engagement activities were also rated highly. Public engagement fulfils the ̽��ֱ��’s mission by creating bridges between researchers and the public, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Partnerships with civic organisations, charities, and arts and community groups help build and maintain relationships with our local communities.

Dr Lucinda Spokes, Head of Public Engagement, said: “Training and advice underpins everything we do. This provides researchers with the skills and confidence to work collaboratively with their communities and stakeholders sharing expertise to co-produce knowledge, improve research outcomes and deliver wider societal benefit.”

̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge Museums and Botanic Garden (UCM), along with the flagship Cambridge Festival, open up the ̽��ֱ��'s research and Collections to all, with over one million people visiting exhibitions, talks and activities each year. UCM enables significant contributions to connecting with some of the most vulnerable communities, reducing loneliness, enhancing health and wellbeing, and supporting the development of children and young people.

Digital public engagement, driven by necessity at the start of the pandemic, provided the ̽��ֱ�� with new ways to engage with people both locally and globally. Since 2021, digital engagement as part of the Cambridge Festival has resulted in over 150K views of research-led content by audiences in over 170 countries.

KEF

̽��ֱ��KEF has been developed by Research England, a public body who fund Higher Education Institutions to undertake research and knowledge exchange.

David Sweeney CBE, Executive Chair of Research England, said: “Knowledge exchange is integral to the mission and purpose of our universities, and its importance in contributing to societal and economic prosperity is strongly supported by the Government.

“Today’s new version of the Knowledge Exchange Framework takes further forward the vision and potential of KE activity, providing richer evidence to demonstrate universities’ strengths in different areas when set alongside their peers.”

Cambridge’s leadership in knowledge exchange has been recognised in the Knowledge Exchange Framework 2 (KEF2) results, published by Research England on 27 September 2022.

“ ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge has a fantastically rich knowledge exchange ecosystem. Here, unique and constantly-evolving support systems, physical spaces and development opportunities exist to enable the pursuit, dissemination and application of world-leading research and knowledge for the benefit of society"

Andy Neely

StillVision

Dr Giorgia Longobardi, winner of a Cambridge Enterprise Postdoc Business Plan Competition

Yes

AstraZeneca to fund a further 55 PhD studentships with ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge

skbf2 — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 15:48:10 +0000

This new agreement aims to equip research students with the capabilities to work across disciplines and sectors. In addition, students will hone important translational skills that are needed to turn their research into new medicines and better outcomes for patients.

“Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� and AstraZeneca see the future of medicine happening at the intersection of different disciplines, where biological understanding of disease processes and the chemistry of how drugs work, meets engineering and artificial intelligence,” said Kathryn Chapman, Deputy Director of the Milner Therapeutics Institute and the ̽��ֱ��’s Relationship Manager for AstraZeneca.

Professor Andy Neely, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge underscores an important piece of working across subject areas: collaboration. He said: “Training the next generation of brilliant scientists who are able to collaborate with colleagues in different disciplines and with industry partners will be critical to getting new treatments to patients.”

“This new agreement demonstrates AstraZeneca’s commitment to developing early career scientists and offers a fantastic opportunity for AstraZeneca and Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� to collaborate by sharing knowledge and expertise across academia and industry,” said Jacqui Hall, Head of Early Careers and R&D Learning, AstraZeneca.

Learning how to collaborate and translate advances in research into breakthroughs that improve patient outcomes will be central to the programme. To facilitate this, each student will have both an academic and industry supervisor. They will also benefit from access to AstraZeneca’s state-of-the-art labs at its Discovery Centre, home to over 2,200 scientists based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

By participating in the programme, students will gain insights into all stages of the drug discovery pipeline and receive guidance as to how they can collaborate with industry and help turn their research into new life-changing medicines for patients.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge has formed a new agreement with AstraZeneca for the global biopharmaceuticals company to fund 55 additional PhD studentships over the next five years, starting in October 2022. Over the last 20 years, AstraZeneca has funded more than 100 PhD students from the ̽��ֱ�� as part of a longstanding partnership between the two institutions.

Training the next generation of brilliant scientists who are able to collaborate with colleagues in different disciplines and with industry partners will be critical to getting new treatments to patients.

Professor Andy Neely, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Enterprise and Business Relations

Benjamin Lehman, unsplash

Researcher looking at flask in lab

Yes