Commercialisation expert to visit UOW

May 22, 2007

One of Australia’s leading foremost experts in the commercialisation of the products of research, Dr Graham Mitchell, will visit the University of Wollongong tomorrow (Wednesday 23 May) to present a seminar as part of the 2007 Australian Innovation Festival.

The seminar, being held in conjunction with Davies Collison Cave (Australia’s leading intellectual property firm), is titled ‘The National Innovation System: Opportunities and Challenges in Commercialising Life Sciences’.

Dr Mitchell is the founder of Foursight Associates -- a company that specialises in matching inventors with investors, science with business, and ideas with capital. Foursight also ensures the conversion of research into products and services of value to business, the community and the environment.

"Commercialisation of research, the translation of ideas into dollars, is an imperative with great opportunities in Australia,” says Dr Mitchell on the company’s website. “Foursight is assisting this process at many levels."

Foursight specialises in:

• Evaluating new technologies and investment opportunities

• Reviewing R&D strategies, projects and portfolios

• Advising on R&D management and new product development

• Developing policy with government in R&D and science & technology and

• Facilitating productive interaction between scientists, funding bodies and investors

Before establishing Foursight Associates, Dr Mitchell led the research into parasite vaccines at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne and was also Director of Research in the R&D Division of CSL Limited -- a global, specialty biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and markets products to treat and prevent serious human medical conditions.

When: Wednesday 23 May from 5.30 – 7.30pm

Where: UniCentre Bldg 11, Function Room 2

RSVP: To attend the seminar contact Gina Portscher on 02 4221 4486 or e-mail gina@uow.edu.au

*Media please note: Dr Mitchell will be available for interview prior to the seminar from 4.30 – 5.15pm. Please contact Media Co-ordinator, Renee Criddle on 02 4221 3290 for more information.

For more information, contact:

media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128