9 October 2017, Munich – Last week Ascenion GmbH and the Medical University of Innsbruck launched their cooperation with a joint kick-off event. The partners’ aim is to further strengthen the transfer of research results into application and enhance its efficiency.
‘The ideas and inventions developed here should also contribute commercially to social and technological progress,’ says Prof. Christine Bandtlow, Vice-Rector for Research and International Relations at the Medical University of Innsbruck. ‘I’m convinced that with Ascenion we will set new standards in knowledge and technology transfer.’ This area traditionally enjoys a high standing at the Medical University of Innsbruck. With approximately 3,000 students and 2,000 employees, the university is the most important medical research and training institute in western Austria.
Dr Christian Stein, CEO of Ascenion, sees huge potential in its research results, both in the areas of therapy and diagnostics, as well as in medical technology: ‘We are greatly looking forward to the cooperation. In the first few days alone, we have seen many projects with a high application potential and have felt the lively entrepreneurial spirit that prevails at the Medical University of Innsbruck. These are excellent conditions for launching the first start-up projects in the near future.’
Ascenion’s Team will work closely with scientists and technology transfer managers at the Medical University of Innsbruck, supporting them in all aspects of technology transfer: from the identification of promising research results to their commercialization. The particular strengths of Ascenion’s international, industry-experienced team include project development and support for start-ups. Both of these essential means of technology transfer are becoming increasingly important in attracting industrial development partners and investors to promising projects.
The partnership with the Medical University of Innsbruck is an important milestone in Ascenion’s strategy. Founded over 15 years ago by four research institutes of the Helmholtz Association, Ascenion today supports 30 partner institutes in Germany and Europe, including research institutes of the Helmholtz and Leibniz Associations, universities, university hospitals and associated organizations for translational development. Its focus lies in the life sciences.
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Contact
Dr Susanne Letzelter, Corporate Development Ascenion GmbH
letzelter@ascenion.de, +49 89 3188140
David Bullock, Strategic Communication & Media Coordination MUI
david.bullock@i-med.ac.at, +43 512/9003-71831
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About Ascenion
Ascenion is an independent technology transfer company focussing on the life sciences. It is partner to 30 research organizations, universities and university hospitals in Germany and Europe, including life-science institutes of the Helmholtz and Leibniz Associations, the Hannover Medical School and the Charité. Ascenion’s multidisciplinary, industry-experienced team works closely with its partners to tap the potential of their research by identifying promising results, obtaining patent protection, and turning pure science into applied technology. Particular strengths are spin-off support and project development, where early-stage projects are transformed into assets that attract potential investors and licensees. This has led to the founding of numerous new companies and the transfer of innovative medical approaches into approved drugs, changing the lives of thousands of patients. Profits from Ascenion’s operative business and exit proceeds flow via its parent company, the LifeScience Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Research, to fund further translational research at its partner institutes.
Ascenion has also initiated the pan European showcasing event BioVaria to stimulate deal making and early collaboration between Europe’s academia and the global life-sciences industry.
Further information at: www.ascenion.de
About the Medical University of Innsbruck
The Medical University of Innsbruck has approximately 2,000 employees and 3,000 students and, together with the University of Innsbruck, is not only the largest educational and research institution in western Austria, but also sees itself as the regional university for Tyrol, Vorarlberg, South Tyrol and Liechtenstein. The following courses are offered at the University: degree programmes in medicine and dentistry as the basis of an academic medical degree, and a doctoral degree (PhD) for the postgraduate intensification of scientific aspects. The degrees in medicine and dentistry can also be followed by an extra-occupational Clinical PhD.
The bachelor's degree in molecular medicine has been in the curriculum since autumn 2011, and is exclusive to Austria. Since the winter semester 2014/15 a master’s degree in molecular medicine is also on offer.
The Medical University of Innsbruck is involved in numerous international educational and research programmes and networks. Research focuses on the areas of infectious diseases, immunology and transplantation, neuroscience and oncology. At the intersections of these main fields is the research area genetics–epigenetics–genomics. In addition to scientific research, the Medical University of Innsbruck is also very successful in the highly competitive field of research funding, both nationally and internationally.
Further information: www.i-med.ac.at