Timetable

Translational Leadership, Research Integrity and Commercialization  in Biomedical Sciences

Knowledge

Upon completion of the course, the PhD student:

• understands the principles of responsible research and innovation in biomedical sciences;
• knows the legal and ethical foundations of intellectual property protection and commercialization in regulated biomedical environments;
• understands Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) and their application in life sciences;
• understands key commercialization pathways, including licensing and academic spin-off formation;
• understands differences between grant-based academic funding and venture capital investment logic;
• is familiar with industry evaluation criteria used by pharmaceutical companies and deep-tech investors.

Skills

Upon completion of the course, the PhD student:

• is able to assess the translational and societal potential of their own research project;
• is able to identify intellectual property opportunities and risks at early stages of research;
• is able to prepare a structured translational project brief tailored to non-academic stakeholders;
• is able to design a preliminary TRL advancement and validation roadmap (12-24 months);
• is able to identify relevant industrial, clinical and investment partners;
• is able to communicate research value propositions clearly to industry and innovation ecosystem actors.

Social Qualifications

Upon completion of the course, the PhD student:

• demonstrates awareness of ethical responsibility in research commercialization;
• understands the importance of interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration;
• shows readiness to engage constructively with industry, investors and healthcare stakeholders;
• demonstrates proactive and independent planning of career development within the research–innovation ecosystem;
• respects academic integrity while operating in applied and commercial contexts.

Successful completion of the course requires:

• active participation in workshop sessions;
• submission of an Individual Translational and Commercialization Development Plan based on the participant’s own PhD project;
• positive evaluation of the final oral presentation of the translational roadmap.

1. Translational Thinking in Biomedical Research

• From hypothesis to societal value
• Publication-oriented vs implementation-oriented research design
• Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) in life sciences
• Identifying application hypotheses in early-stage biomedical research

2. Research Integrity, Ethics and Intellectual Property in Regulated Environments

• Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)
• Conflict of interest and academia-industry collaboration
• Publication vs patent strategy
• IP fundamentals for biomedical researchers
• Data governance, regulatory constraints and clinical validation pathways

3. Designing Research with Implementation in Mind

• Translational gap in biomedical sciences
• Early validation strategies
• De-risking logic in drug development and diagnostics
• Preparing a translational project brief for market consultation
• Cooperation with Technology Transfer Offices

4. Industry Perspective: Big Pharma and Healthcare Systems

(Guest lecture – pharmaceutical industry representative)

• How pharmaceutical companies evaluate academic research
• Biomarker validation and clinical relevance
• Typical collaboration models with academia
• What makes academic science investable or licensable

5. Financing Biomedical Innovation and Spin-Off Strategy

(Guest lecture – deep-tech venture capital representative)

• Venture capital logic vs grant logic
• Risk, timelines and capital intensity in life sciences
• Academic spin-off creation pathways
• Ownership, equity and founder considerations
• When to license and when to build a company

6. Strategic Networking and Positioning in the Innovation Ecosystem

• Building professional relationships beyond academia
• Communicating with industry, KOLs and investors
• Leveraging institutional partnerships and international networks
• Personal brand building for researchers

7. Individual Translational Roadmap Development (Workshop Module)

• TRL assessment of individual PhD projects
• Identification of potential partners (industry, clinical, investment)
• Funding pathway mapping
• 12-24 month commercialization and collaboration plan

Final project presentations

Participants will receive:

• lecture presentations in PDF format;
• structured templates for:
  • translational project brief (1-page industry summary),
  • TRL self-assessment tool,
  • intellectual property decision checklist,
  • preliminary commercialization roadmap (12–24 months),
  • early-stage spin-off pathway outline;
• selected case studies from European and US biomedical commercialization programs;
• indicative industry evaluation criteria used by pharmaceutical companies and deep-tech investors;

Selected practical materials, policy documents, industry reports and online resources will be provided after each thematic module.The course bibliography will include application-oriented sources such as:

• European Commission and OECD reports on research commercialization and Responsible Research & Innovation;
• WIPO and European Patent Office materials on intellectual property in life sciences;
• industry and venture capital reports on biomedical innovation and deep-tech investment;
• selected case studies and guidelines relevant to translational research and academic spin-offs.