Collaboration award
Biomedica summit award launched to promote industry-academia collaborations!
Scroll down to see the Four Finalists (announced April 6, 2012)
Submissions are open ! Send your summary to liege2012@biomedicasummit.eu before March 1, 2012 --> Extended to March 20
Collaborating companies and academic institutes/universities will be rewarded for innovative application oriented research or projects in the field of life sciences, medical technology or red and white biotechnology. The award aims to accelerate the transfer of scientific knowledge into market applications.
The Biomedica summit Award will be granted for the first time during the 6th Biomedica Summit.
Criteria:
The award will be judged on the following criteria:
- Clear description of how the collaborative model brought value to the academic partner as well as to the industrial partner
- Value created through use of collaboration
- Degree of Innovation, new products, concepts or processes
- Potential market applications and market implementation
- Overall performance
- The collaboration should have started in 2005 or thereafter.
- Company AND/OR academic institute should be located in The Netherlands, North-Rhine Westphalia or Belgium.
- Applying for the award does not entitle to free registration to the Summit
Prize:
10.000 € will be provided as a one-time payment to be shared between the academic institute and the industrial partner. Taxes are included.
Award presentation:
Award presentations by nominees will take place on April 18, 2012 during the 6th Biomedica summit held at the Palais de Congres in Liège. The Formal award will be granted on Thursday April 19, 2012.
Jury:
| CHAIR | |
| Prof. Dr. Bernard Rentier | Chair Foundation Biomedica |
| Rector University of Liège, Belgium | |
| MEMBERS | |
| Dr. Rob Gossink | Chairman of the supervisory board, University hospital, Aachen, Germany |
| Former director of Philips research, Germany | |
| Former chair of Lifetec Aachen-Jülich | |
| Mr. Jos Nelissen | Director Newtricious BV, Oirlo, The Netherlands |
| Emeritus. Prof. Dr. Joseph Martial | Chair of GIGA, University of Liège, Belgium, |
| Chairman of the board of directors of Diagenode SA | |
| Founder of Eurogentec | |
| Mr. John Vossen | Investment Manager Limburg Ventures, Maastricht, The Netherlands |
General rules/information:
- Self-nominations are acceptable
- After you have sent your summary, the committee may contact you for additional information required for the nomination(s).
- A summary in English language with regard to the project description including a description showing that the mentioned criteria are met, should be mailed to liege2012@biomedicasummit.eu before March 20, 2012
- Summaries exceeding more than 3 A4 pages (Times New Roman 11 - Word document) will be rejected.
- Selected applicants will be notified on March 30, 2012 - DELAYED to April 9
- Awardees are not entitled to free registration and must register on the main website
Disclosure:
Participation in the Biomedica summit award means that the participant allows Biomedica Foundation to make public wholly or in part any (project) detail being provided to Biomedica Foundation and or to its partners. Participation also allows publications of provided information for award ceremony or publicity purposes or use on Biomedica summit website.
The Biomedica Foundation has no obligation to provide financial compensation. Participation in the Biomedica summit award does not imply thatownership of an entry is transferred to Biomedica.
The Four Finalists - Collaboration award Biomedica 2012
1. Title: Multifunctional Image Guided Interventions - MIGI
Content: New surgical devices replace the need for X-ray fluoroscopy
Names: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Brecher, Dr.-Ing. Michael Emonts, Dipl.-Ing. Adrian Schuette
Collaboration between:
- Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT, Aachen (D)
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Aachen (D)
- Hemoteq AG, Würselen, Aachen region (D)
- Nano4Imaging GmbH, Aachen (D)
- MagnaMedics GmbH, Aachen (D)
Project start: 2010 (duration 3 years)
Contact:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Brecher, Dr.-Ing. Michael Emonts, Dipl.-Ing. Adrian Schuette,
Fraunhofer IPT, Steinbachstr. 17, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Tel: +49 241 8904 251; email: Adrian.Schuette@ipt.fraunhofer.de
Abstract
Interventional procedures in the vascular system all require image guidance to allow device navigation inside the tissue. Up to now, catheters and guide wires have only been suitable for use under fluoroscopy. The project “MIGI (Multifunctional Image Guided Interventions)” aims at the development of a novel guide wire. This guide wire should facilitate the application of alternative imaging techniques (MRI and ultrasound) during medical interventions. These methods are advantageous in some applications, for example for displaying the area surrounding the intervention region. Furthermore, the radiation exposure for patient and medical staff can be reduced or even totally avoided. Using new materials (fibre composite plastics) and flexible manufacturing technologies, the goal of this project is to develop thin guide wires with variable material properties that meet the requirements of MRI, X-ray and ultrasound with respect to visibility and patient safety.
2. Title:
Cervical cancer: Development of a Human papilloma virus risk assessment and screening test.
Content: The development of a risk assessment test that can predict the progression to cervical cancer caused by human papilloma virus.
Name: Guus Simons
Collaboration between:
- PathoFinder,
- Maastricht University Medical Center University Maastricht)
- GROW (School for Oncology & Developmental Biology)
- and several regional hospitals.
The development of a risk assessment test that can predict the progression to cervical cancer caused by human papilloma virus. Women that are infected with high risk human papilloma virus can develop cervical cancer within a time frame of 10-15 years. However, in most cases the virus is cleared but cervical cancer is still the second cause of death for women with about 500.000 new cases and 250.000 deaths every year worldwide. At the moment there is no risk assessment test available that can predict the progression to cervical cancer and in general these women are over-treated.
PathoFinder is a molecular diagnostics company active in the field of infectious diseases. PathoFinder develops, manufactures (ISO 13485 certified) and sells a new generation of multiparameter diagnostic meningitis, sexually transmitted disease, gastro intestinal infections etc. In a panel disease many different pathogens (viruses (RNA and DNA), bacteria, parasites) can cause the disease. Based on the symptoms a clinician cannot decide which pathogen is causing the disease. A multiparameter assay enabling detection and identification of up to 25 pathogens simultaneously in a single reaction is required to diagnose the disease in a cost effective way. At the moment, PathoFinder has three productlines on the market: RespiFinder® is directed against respiratory tract infections, MeningoFinderTM against viral meningitis and STDFinderTM against sexually transmitted diseases.
G. Simons PhD, CEO PathoFinder BV. Guus.Simons@pathofinder.com
3. Title: Cyprinid herpesvirus3: an interesting virus for applied and fundamental research
Content: The goal is to bring on the market a safe and efficacious vaccine against CyHV-3 to
allow protection of food carp and koi carp
Names: Prof. A.Vanderplasschen and Dr L. Grisez
Collaboration between:
Prof. A.Vanderplasschen and Dr L. Grisez
-Immunology-Vaccinology (B43b), Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, B-4000 Liège, Belgium.
-Intervet International B.V., also known as MSD Animal Health, Wim de Körverstraat 35, 5831 AN Boxmeer, The Netherlands.
1. Introduction
Aquaculture is currently the world fastest growing food production sector with an annual
growth rate of 6-8 %. It provides currently one-third of the consumed fish in the world.
However, the intense production methods applied in aquaculture, as in other intense
production systems, attribute to the frequent and huge economic losses caused by outbreaks of
infectious diseases.
Common carp (Cyprinus carpio carpio) is a freshwater fish and one of the most important species in aquaculture, with a world production of 3.2 million metric tons per year. In addition to common carp, which is cultivated for human consumption and represents for many people the only affordable source of animal protein in their diets, koi carp (Cyprinus carpio koi), an often-colourful subspecies, is grown for ornamental purposes.
In the late 1990s, a highly contagious and virulent disease began to cause severe economic losses in these two carp industries worldwide with mortality rate as higher as 95%. More recently, the virus started to be a source of environmental concerns by causing outbreaks in wildlife carp (5).The causative agent of the disease was initially called koi herpesvirus (KHV). Recently, the virus was renamed Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3). Because of its economic importance, once isolated, CyHV-3 rapidly became an important subject for applied research with two major aims: the development of efficacious diagnostic methods and the development of safe and efficacious vaccines. Unfortunately, production of CyHV-3 recombinants using classical homologous recombination in eukaryotic cells turned out to be problematic with this virus. This failure could be explained by the extreme large size of the CyHV-3 genome, its high content of repeated regions and its relative instability when replicated in vitro. In addition to its economic importance, CyHV-3 has several qualities as a model for fundamental research.
2. Historic of the academic-industry collaboration
For two decades the laboratory of Immunology-Vaccinology (University of Liège) has specialized in, and researched different aspects of herpesviruses infecting mammals such as for example its evolution, the pathogenesis of the infection, the ability of herpesviruses to acquired genes from their host and to evade the host immune response, and last but not least, the possibility to manipulate herpes virus genome as infectious bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC). The laboratory of Immunology-Vaccinology is one of the very few laboratories in the world which has the know-how to BAC clone herpesvirus genome.
In 2007 a network of Belgium scientists made a major step in CyHV-3 research by cloning its entire genome as an infectious bacterial artificial chromosome. Importantly, the cloning of CyHV-3 as a BAC opened the possibility to produce the recombinants required for fundamental studies or for the development of safe and efficacious live attenuated vaccines. This BAC clone and several attenuated recombinants were patented (2). In 2009, Intervet International B.V. took an exclusive world wild license. Ever since, an intense and productive collaboration has been going on between the academic scientists listed above and the group led by Dr Luc Grisez at Intervet International B.V.. While the main goal of this collaboration is of course to bring on the market a safe and efficacious vaccine against CyHV-3 to allow protection of food carp and koi carp and thereby safeguarding the livelihood of entire societies in developing countries, this collaboration had also important positive effects on the fundamental researches and pedagogic activities of the academic partners. Below, we are summarising the major outcomes of this academic-industry collaboration.
4. Title: The European Life Sciences Summit
Names: Ingeborg van Kroonenburgh
Content: Development, engineering and clinical application of a 3D printed and custom made Jaw implant.
Collaboration between:
- Prof. dr. Jules Poukens, Cranio-maxillofacial Surgeon Medical Center Sittard/Heerlen, The Netherlands. And University of Hasselt Belgium.
- Dr. Ingeborg van Kroonenburgh, University of Hasselt Belgium, department of Dentistry RWTH-Aachen University, Germany.
- Prof.dr. Ivo Lambrichts, Head of Morfology Group University Hasselt, Belgium.
- Ing. Maikel Beerens, Founder of Xilloc Medical BV, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- Ing. Carsten Engel, Head of Medical Affairs Sirris, Charleroi, Belgium.
- Dr. Ir. Peter Mercelis, Founder of Layerwise, Leuven, Belgium.
- Dr. Ir. Michäel Daenen from Xios University College Hasselt, Belgium.
- Prof. dr. Jos Vander Sloten from the University of Leuven, Belgium
In the medical field, technologies with the purpose to improve the quality of healthcare are used for diagnosis, therapy and follow-up. With new technological developments the question arises how these can be integrated in healthcare systems. For appropriate integration teamwork is a key essential.
Patients in the cranio-maxillofacial clinic often present with serious, complex, and potentially life- threatening or life-limiting medical conditions (e.g. tumor, trauma, aggressive osteomyelitis). Available treatments may not always give satisfactory results for patients and doctors. Therefore, complex problems ask for new solutions. An emerging technique in the medical field is Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM). For successful implementation of CAD-CAM technology in the clinical practice doctors and engineers need to work together and share their expertise.
Recently an entire lower jaw has been replaced. Worldwide this is the first time an entire body part has been replaced by a 3D printed patient specific implant. Doctors, scientists and engineers from multiple institutions in different countries were working together during the entire process: from design desk to operating theatre. The concept of an artificial jaw developed when a 83 year old woman, visited Prof. Poukens and Dr. van Kroonenburgh, at the Obris Medical Center, The Netherlands, with a severe and progressive infection of the lower jaw (mandibula). The infection was extremely severe that the patient needed a total mandibulectomy (total removal of the lower jaw). In this case the classical approach would be replacing the mandible by either a metal plate or a vascularized bone fragment from another part of the body (e.g. rib). However this would lead to loss in function and esthetics, without even mentioning long surgery and hospitalization. Since previous experience of Prof. Poukens, in custom made implants, and considering the complex anatomy of the lower jaw and the co-morbidities of the patient the decision was made to treat the patient with a 3D printed custom made implant.
The first step in the process was the computer aided design, which was made by Xilloc Medical BV, The Netherlands. The interaction between doctor and engineer during the design process lead to unique features: holes for muscles attachment, rims for the mandibular nerves and fixture sites for future prosthetic superstructures (false teeth). During the development process Layerwise (Belgium) was involved to print the implant and to assist with the superstructure.
The implant was fabricated by LayerWise, using CAM by Selective Laser Melting of titanium alloy and produced by a computer controlled machine which uses the CAD data, (design by Xilloc Medical BV), to create three-dimensional metal parts. The computer places layer by layer sheets of fine titanium powder which are melted together by a high powered laser beam. This 3D printing technique offers the possibilities to reconstruct the unique designed features and complex anatomical structures such as the temporo-mandibular joint. The last step in the production was coating the implant with plasma sprayed artificial bone (hydroxyapatite bone substitute compound) to prevent the implant from being rejected by the body. During the entire process, engineers Carsten Engel from Sirris (Belgium), Dr. Ir. Michäel Daenen from Xios University College Hasselt and Prof. dr. Jos Vander Sloten from the University of Leuven supported the idea by helping and giving their expert opinion. Finally the expertise on imaging technique, localization of neurovascular structures in jawbones and on tissue-implant interfaces was present within the morphology group of the BIOMED institute, University Hasselt (Belgium). Prof. Poukens and Dr. van Kroonenburgh are both active in this research group which is headed by Prof. Lambrichts.
This is the first time that a complete mandibular has been reconstructed with 3D printing technique and replaced by a patient specific implant. Compared to the classical procedure the operation time was relatively short (4hours) in comparison to the classical treatment (14-20 hours). This short operation time was possible due to the perfect fit of the implant. The use of metallic substitutes eliminates the need for additional surgery to gain autografts and reduces the risk of infections by allografts. A decrease in operation time does not only represent a decrease in direct costs but also leads to higher comfort for the patient. Directly after implantation the aesthetic aspect was reconstructed and already one-day post- operative the patient showed normal functions of speech, swallowing and unrestricted mandibular movements. All of this resulted in a shorted hospitalization time of 3 days in comparison to an average of 2 weeks, which indirectly reduces the costs even more.
