The University of Melbourne 2014 Open to Business Forum, hosted by the Melbourne Neuroscience Institute was held at the Woodward Conference Centre. It provided the chance for industry guests and UoM academia to explore and discuss keys to successful engagement, opportunities for engagement and better ways to collaborate.

Keys to successful engagement presentations: speakers discussed the crucial elements in creating win-win collaborations in academic-industry partnerships, barriers to collaboration and the rewards of commercialisation. Of relevance to VBIC:

• Iven Mareels (Dean, Melbourne School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne) provided an academic perspective on making academic- industry partnerships work.
• Jeurg von Kaenel (Senior Manager, IBM Research Australia) presented an industry perspective on making an academic –industry research partnership work.
• Darren Kelly (Chief Executive Officer, Fibrotech Therapeutics) discussed the conception and commercialisation of novel anti fibrotics.

Industry Perspective – Opportunities for Engagement presentations: speakers discussed the outcomes of collaborating with institutions and how academia can associate with the industry. Of relevance to VBIC:

• David Brown (Vice President Imaging, ANZ, Siemens) noted the importance of partnering with research institutions and how Siemens Healthcare transitions from innovation to product development.
• Stephane Verhaeghe (Affiliate Medical Advisor Neurosciences, Novartis) spoke about the importance for Novartis in partnering and collaborating with external institutions and the various ways it can be done.
• David Krenus (Director, Cyclotek) presented opportunities and challenges for PET radiopharmaceuticals and how to collaborate with Cyclotek.
• Lachlan Davis (Clinical Programme and Physician Education Manager, Medtronic) discussed Medtronic’s partnership models and the importance in partnership formations with clinicians and researchers in the field of Neuromodulation.

Academic Perspective – Opportunities for Engagement presentations: speakers discussed areas and applications for potential industry engagement. Of relevance to VBIC:

• Rob Shepherd (Director, Bionic Eye) presented successful bionic solutions and attractive applications that could initiate industry engagement.
• Mark Cook (Chair of Medicine and Director of Neurology at St. Vincent’s Hospital) discussed the use of sophisticated systems to better treat epilepsy and the vast potential for a range of therapeutics.
• Christine Nguyen (Research Fellow, Department of Optometry and Vision Science) presented research that uses the eye as a surrogate biomarker for cortical diseases, improving detection and development of treatments.
• Colin Masters (Senior Deputy Director, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health) discussed strengths in academia (creating preclinical infrastructure and drug discovery institutes) and opportunities for partnerships.

For further information about this event, or how to engage with VBIC or the University of Melbourne contact the VBIC Business Manager or the University of Melbourne VBIC representative Professor Roger Ordidge.