A Chief Executive Officer from a top biotech company will explain what he would have done differently in his business to an audience of aspiring biotech business people at a special forum run by the University of Dundee's Centre for Enterprise Management.
Dr Ron James, ex CEO at PPL Therapeutics will join Professor Sir David Lane, discoverer of the p53 gene and co-founder of Cyclacel Ltd and Dr Jeremy Stone from Odgers Ray & Berndtson on the panel to answer questions on taking biotechnology into business.
The forum has been organised by the Scottish Institute for Enterprise facilitated by the Centre for Enterprise Management to encourage scientists with an original idea to consider taking their science into business. The University of Dundee has ten spin-out companies to date which have all taken ideas conceived in the University into the commercial environment.
John Mackenzie, from the University of Dundee's Research and Innovations Services said: "We are bringing together the Scottish Biotech community with the UK Venture Capital community to hear some golden nuggets of advice from Dr Ron James and our own Sir David Lane about creating and running a successful Biotech business. This event confirms the commitment of the University of Dundee to strengthen Dundee's position as a centre of UK and worldwide excellence for the Biotechnology sector. Research and Innovation Services at the University of Dundee are delighted to be running this event in conjunction with Odgers, Ray & Berndtson".
The Scottish Institute for Enterprise (SIE) is committed to bridging the culture gap between universities and the business community by building a better understanding and improving links and processes between the two communities. The universities offer a good source of deal flow for the business community and by creating more positive attitudes towards university originated entrepreneurial enterprises, SIE aims to increase the number of companies spinning-out from Scotland's universities.
The forum takes place this Wednesday, June 19, at the University of Dundee.