2018-2019
Dr Ruizhi Wang, Abselion (formerly HexagonFab)
Our i-Teams project is what actually set us on the right path! Before heading into i-Teams we were looking into drug discovery as an application area. It was during i-Teams that one student connected us with the biopharma production teams at a major pharmaceutical company. That's where we discovered the actual sweetspot for our current…
Improving AI safety by mapping what AIs really learn
Inventor: Dr Botty Dimanov, Computer Lab AI (artificial intelligence) or machine-based learning is now in widespread use, being used in areas as diverse as the development of self-driving cars, image, speech and sound recognition, improving search algorithms, and searching for new drug molecules. The key to the method is that the programmer develops training algorithms…
Using AI to identify new drug candidates for anti-microbials
Contact: Dr Alpha Lee, Maxwell Centre Mentor: Dr. Rosalind Parkes-Ratanshi, Cambridge Institute of Public Health & Ugandan Academy for Health Innovation and Impact The inventors have developed significant expertise in using machine learning algorithms to identify new drug candidates which can target particular biological processes. The method has been validated against a specific receptor which…
How to facilitate financial transactions to developing countries: Identifying the
Contact: Dr Tugba Basaran, Centre for the Study of Global Human Movement Mentor: Lesley-Ann Vaughan Dr. Basaran is currently researching how new financial technologies are used for money transfers between the UK, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya and Ghana. She inquires into the aspirations and desires of the households to understand their preferences, customs and impediments when…
Diagnosing brain injuries at point-of-care: investigating the areas of greatest
Contact: Patrick Beldon, Cortirio Mentor: Dr. Julian White Two thirds of the world’s population lack access to basic medical imaging facilities. This is particularly important in the area of head injuries where a rapid accurate diagnosis can make dramatic differences to treatment and long-term recovery. Cortirio are developing a simple-to-use, portable, low-cost headband device to…
Finding the best market for the next generation of biosensors
Contact: HexagonFab Biosensors, a spin-off from University of Cambridge Dr. Ruizhi Wang, Electrical Engineering, Dr. Hannah Stern, Physics & Chemistry & Christoph von Bieberstein, Commercial Mentor: Brian Corbett The inventors have designed a new real-time and highly sensitive method for detecting trace amounts of biological molecules, including proteins, small molecules and DNA frag-ments, and are…
A new targeted method to reduce platelets in the bloodstream
Contact: Dr. Marloes Tijssen, TroMegaTherapeutics (formerly at Haematology) Mentor: Dr. Bill Matthews Essential Thrombocythaemia is a chronic disease with increased blood platelet numbers and affects over 9000 patients in the UK, but has no specific treatment. Patients can survive up to 20 years post-diagnosis on current treatments, but these have many side effects and do…
Using nanopores to detect single molecules such as proteins or
Contacts: Niklas Ermann, Nikki Weckman & Ulrich Keyser, Biological & Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory Mentor: Paul May A nanopore is a single pore a few nanometres in diameter. The team in the Cavendish are developing ways to use nanopores to detect single molecules of specific types, allowing the development of rapid diagnostic tests for diseases…
Wireless neonatal monitoring
Inventors: Oliver Bonner & Dr. Joan Lasenby, Engineering & Dr Kathy Beardsall, Consultant Neonatologist, Addenbrooke’s Mentor: Dr. Oriane Chausiaux In the UK, the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) cares for approximately 95,000 critically ill newborn babies per year, including many who are born prematurely. The care provided is among the most intensive, specialised and high dependency…