17 February 2016, Munich and Borstel – The Research Center Borstel (FZB), a member of the Leibniz Association, has become the 10th endowing institute of the LifeScience Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Research.
The FZB has been working closely for the past 10 years with the Foundation’s subsidiary, Ascenion, which offers technology transfer services for research institutions with a life-science focus. Together, they have established professional structures for the patenting of the FZB’s inventions and have developed several of these towards application. In addition, they have closed 37 agreements with industry partners, and launched two spin-offs. Many of these projects have led to improvements in the diagnosis, prevention and therapy of respiratory infections, allergies and asthma.
As an endowing institute, the FZB will now profit even more from the proceeds of successful technology transfer projects. A large proportion of Ascenion’s earnings flows to the Foundation, which in turn makes these funds available to the founding institutes for further research. Since Ascenion was founded in 2001, a total of around EUR 9.5 million has been provided. A large part comes from exit proceeds – revenues from the sale of shares in spin-offs from Ascenion’s partner institutes. If a spin-off is successful, then significant funding thus flows back to the institute at which the technology originated.
“Through successful spin-off projects, launched with Ascenion’s assistance, endowing institutes are able to generate new research funds,” explains Nicolaus Steenken, Chairman of the Foundation. A further advantage is that endowing institutes can use the funds flexibly and apply for them according to their needs.
“Becoming an endowing institute also reflects our clear commitment to technology transfer,” comments Prof. Stefan Ehlers, Director of the FZB. “Some of our research results are of direct relevance to patients suffering from respiratory infections, allergies and asthma. Together with Ascenion, we are working intensively to transfer these findings into application.”
This goal – unlocking the potential of life-science research for the benefit of society – was what motivated four institutes in the Helmholtz Association to set up the Foundation and its subsidiary, Ascenion, in 2001. Today, Ascenion supports a total of 22 research institutes and university hospitals in all aspects of technology transfer. Ten of these are endowing institutes, including members of the Helmholtz and Leibniz Associations, and the Hannover Medical School.
“We are delighted to welcome the FZB as a new endowing institute,” says Dr Christian Stein, CEO of Ascenion. “The foundation’s continuing growth shows that, together, we are on the right track. This model holds great potential for institutes pursuing application-oriented life-science research: whether in public research associations, university hospitals or in other healthcare centres with research programmes.”
The LifeScience Foundation is open to all public research institutes with a life-science focus. Endowment is not, however, a precondition for a collaboration with Ascenion.
