In the wake of the first innovation workshop and as we approach a new year, we asked our Innovation Manager five questions about the innovation focus in ReproUnion.
What has been one of your first tasks since you joined in August 2024?
One of my first tasks has been to map the extensive resources available through the ReproUnion Innovation Platform. In addition to the core research competencies and infrastructures, the consortium benefits from a wide range of collaborations. LU Innovation and LU Holding provide paths for technology transfer and commercialization. Medicon Valley Alliance enables cross-border collaboration. Ferring Pharmaceuticals brings a vital pharma-industry perspective. Smile Incubator and the BioInnovation Institute (BII) support us with insights from SMEs and entrepreneurial ecosystems.
This broad network enables us to generate synergies that speed up the development of reproductive health breakthroughs. It’s been exciting to explore how these partnerships can collectively advance our mission to establish an Innovation Platform.
What would you say is our ReproUnion definition of the ‘Innovation Platform’?
The ReproUnion Innovation Platform is envisioned to address interdisciplinary challenges in reproductive health. We aim to bridge the gap between basic scientific research and clinical applications, potentially accelerating their transformation into patentable solutions. Sharing resources, infrastructure, and expertise on the platform should also facilitate cross-border and cross-sector collaboration.
I have been evaluating various options, including testbed services, intellectual property support, and entrepreneurial education, to assess how best to support academics and companies in developing scalable breakthroughs.
My approach is to learn from existing innovation platforms and testbeds and align with established innovation hubs instead of reinventing the wheel. Ultimately, our goal is to make ReproUnion a leader in reproductive health innovation, addressing real-world healthcare needs and societal challenges.
One of the key deliverables for the ReproUnion Innovation Platform is to contribute to new patents in the reproductive health space. Can you say something about the progress?
Dx4Life is a great example of our efforts to connect research and application (read more in this interview with Yvonne Giwercman). Looking ahead, we anticipate even more contributions from seven innovation projects run by PIs in ReproUnion, as well as from the expanded use of data and samples from the ReproUnion Biobank and Infertility Cohort (RUBIC).
However, it’s crucial to approach patents strategically. Filing prematurely can sometimes hinder market adoption. Identifying the right IP strategy for each discovery or invention is critical, and we actively encourage researchers to seek expert advice in this area.
Cross-border patent ownership presents several complications, especially given ReproUnion’s joint efforts with various public institutions, often from separate countries. These entities have different rules regarding intellectual property rights, which may hinder collaborative efforts. To address this, we would like to develop clear guidance in the coming year to help our partners navigate these challenges.
Is the Innovation Platform also helping external start-ups on their innovation journey?
Absolutely. ReproUnion has already facilitated opportunities for companies to test their solutions within our partnership. Looking ahead, we are planning to reach out to the industry and have matchmaking activities in 2025, with the aim of raising awareness about the collaborative potential within ReproUnion.
In these efforts, one of the current priorities is to map and describe the best way to access the reproductive health facilities that the partnership can offer. More information will soon be available on our website.
You have also been leading educational innovation activities for the partnership. Can you say a bit about those, and further activities planned for 2025?
We are currently planning innovation workshops, supported by our partners at LU Innovation and LU Ventures. We are also exploring a partnership with Smile Incubator to provide our researchers with access to their online entrepreneurship education. Additionally, we’ve secured the opportunity for our researchers to apply for limited spots in the BII Summer School program (though spots are limited and subject to application).
The idea is to encourage more innovation-driven research and ensure that our work aligns with real market needs. By incorporating education and fresh market insights, we would like to build an approach that makes reproductive health research even more impactful and relevant.