Focus on the Appliance of Science FROM LEIDEN Focus on the Appliance of Science FROM LEIDEN Colofon Texts Design With special thanks to everyone Esther Thole Ratio Design.nl interviewed in this book and: Ionica Smeets BioPartner Leiden Peter Baggen Editing Communications department LU Anke Klerkx, LURIS Communications department LUMC Pictures Aurélie Veltema, LURIS Ratio Design Aad van Vliet / TwoMoves Marilyn Hedges, Academisch Irene van der Plas Talencentrum Leiden Marc de Haan Sander Pardon The Appliance of Science Research is at the heart of the mission of both Medical Sciences in 1924. To this day the ECG is the Leiden University (LU) and Leiden University Medical best way to measure and diagnose abnormal rhythms Center (LUMC). It has been since the creation of of the heart and is still in use in hospitals all over. the University in 1575. However, it is not research solely for the sake of research but also so that LU In 2010, The World University Rankings by the Times and LUMC can play their roles in promoting clinical, Higher Education Supplement put Leiden University societal and economic development. This is ‘The equal first in the world in field of Industry income – Appliance of Science’. Innovation. This category is designed to cover an institution’s knowledge­transfer activity. It is Much of the research at LUMC is Translational determined by the institution’s research income Research, meaning that it has a close connection from industry scaled against the number of academic to clinical need. This ensures that the relevance of staff. An excellent performance from Leiden Univer­ the scientific research can be directly translated into sity and the Leiden University Medical Center. medicinal and clinical use. Work in the University finds application in many fields, ranging from This book ‘The Appliance of Science’ illustrates some Social Sciences, Languages and Cultural studies of the examples and achievements of LU and LUMC to Pharma cology and Plant Sciences through to in the area of valorisation of the research base. Material Sciences. It demonstrates how fundamental research can go hand in hand with commercial and societal use. Excellent research in Leiden is not a new pheno­ It has already lead to the creation of successful menon. Since Leiden became a University City, great clinical treatments, the establishment of new firms scientific breakthroughs have been accomplished. and one of Europe’s most successful Bio Science A good example is Electrocardiography (ECG), first Parks. The current growth in the activity speaks well built as a diagnostic tool in Leiden by the Dutch of the quality of the research base and the entrepre­ doctor and physiologist Willem Einthoven. He played neurial nature of the scientists. It bodes well for the an important role in the development of electro car­ future of Leiden and the Netherlands. dio­­graphy and won the Nobel Prize for Physiology of In focus Valorisation What is valorisation? If you ask a native English ministry of Economic Affairs to describe the speaker this question you will see question process by which knowledge is transferred to marks in his or her eyes appear. Valorisation is society via products, processes or services, and how the Dutch translate the term ´valorisatie´, value - economic value or money- is created. which was introduced by policy makers of the 4 5 Valorisation should Valorisation is be fun for researchers not a dirty word Valorisation has become a main theme on national research agendas. Paul van Maarten le Clercq bid farewell to the Executive Board of the LUMC in June 2010, after der Heijden, Rector Magnificus and President of the Executive Board of Leiden eight - in his own words - extremely pleasant years. He hopes to have made a valuable University, is proud of what Leiden has achieved, and sees even more possibilities contribution, especially on valorisation. When the idea for a technology transfer office for the future. first arose, he immediately became enthusiastic. Traditionally, the universities had two tasks: scientific Maghiel van Crevel has developed high­school books It started in 2004 when Douwe Breimer, the then LURIS became the envisioned technology transfer research and teaching. Gradually, however, the notion for Mandarin. And language is just a starting point. Rector Magnificus of Leiden University, commissioned centre. Today it is a little bigger than the founders of social relevance has seeped in. Van der Heijden: We could do so much more with our knowledge, such an investigation into the possibility of a technology imagined five years ago, and the LUMC also has “The government justifiably asked what they get for as offering courses for companies who are trading transfer office. Le Clercq: “Naturally, the LUMC was additional staff working on technology transfer. But the 2.5 to 3 billion euro they spend on universities, with China. And this is just one example; the social a discussion partner. We already had a rudimentary Maarten le Clercq believes this is only the beginning: besides master’s graduates and scientific publicati­ sciences also have a lot of potential. To boost valori­ organisation that assisted in valorising research, but “Valorisation is a hot topic for the government and it ons. The social partners had a similar question: what sation activities, we need hubs in which researchers things were quite unstructured and there was limited will continue to grow. Besides, it takes about twenty could universities contribute to relevant problems and companies can mix.” experience with legal aspects, intellectual property years for valorisation to permeate the entire organi­ relating to energy, water and food?” In the last five or contracts.” Le Clercq was already familiar with sation. LURIS is the leading organisation of its kind years, valorisation, meaning generating value from The Rector emphasises that valorisation should be professional technology transfer offices from other in the Netherlands, but can still learn and develop. knowledge, has become the official third task of put in a proper perspective: “Researchers should not countries, the industry and the UMC Utrecht. “The Other countries are ahead of us; the technology the universities. be forced to become entrepreneurs. They have been idea really took on in my head. The university and transfer office of Leuven, for instance, has been hired for their specialisations, and valorisation calls LUMC decided to work together on this. It was in our around for over twenty­five years. In Leiden the Leiden was familiar with this concept long before for a different kind of expertise. Which is why I am common interest that our knowledge should end up number of researchers who are active in valorisation valorisation became a political term. “The Bio so glad that LURIS offers this expertise as a service. in the right places.” is relatively small and I hope this will increase over Science Park has been here for decades. It has pro­ They know about business, patents, legal matters the next few years.” duced famous examples such as Crucell, which was and tiny details that can drive researchers mad.” Le Clercq believes that there should not be too great established by university researchers, but is now an Researchers should not hesitate to contract out a distance between universities and industry. “For There are various ways of stimulating entrepreneur­ independent biopharmaceutical company quoted tasks: “I always advise grant winners to use part a long time valorisation was a dirty word to resear­ ship amongst researchers. Le Clercq: “First of all the on the stock exchange.” of the money to hire project management.” chers. Sometimes the market was seen as a threat Executive Board should convey the importance of rather than a possibility.” In his view this mistrust valorising research. Not all researchers need to file There are many valorisation activities outside the Van der Heijden wants to show the fresh crop is unnecessary as long as clear ground rules are patents, but those who do should feel appreciated; Bio Science Park, but Van der Heijden’s dreams of students that valorisation is a serious option: observed. The Dutch Federation of University Medical for instance, by benefiting from the financial rewards reach further: “It would be great to have a business “They do not see themselves as businessmen, but Centers (NFU) has issued a brochure ‘Naar een goede of their discovery. Secondly, there has to be a profes­ park for the humanities, for example. Leiden has only 10 to 15% of them will remain in research. waarde’ (Towards a good value) which establishes sional service to assist researchers with practical expertise on cultures and languages from all over the And even these ‘pure’ researchers must think rules of behaviour to guarantee integrity in the colla­ details and to help them foster realistic expectations. world. This knowledge is priceless and I would like commercially in order to find funding for their boration with industry. Le Clercq emphasises that And finally, researchers should see examples of to see more of it put on the market. Take China, work. I think valorisation should be fun for them. this collaboration benefits the university: “There is successful colleagues who have managed to get for instance, which is currently the world’s second Scientists love competition and are constantly trying a lot of knowledge in industry. And sometimes the their work out into the world.” IS largest economy. Many people would like to know to outdo one another. And the