Winner: 2021 Industry-Academia Collaboration Award
University of Strathclyde and GSK
University of Strathclyde and GSK
For the creation of a sustained partnership which has driven a culture of research and training excellence, and created a flow of skilled personnel to enhance capabilities within the sector.
The University of Strathclyde and GlaxoSmithKline partnership was set up to develop a framework whereby GSK employees work towards an MPhil/PhD degree through active drug discovery/development projects within GSK laboratories, with both industry and academic supervision. To date, 187 employee and non-employee postgraduate researchers have registered, with 105 students having graduated to this stage with higher degree awards (97 PhD and 8 MPhil). Five chemical entities associated with the Strathclyde鈥揋SK partnership are progressing in GSK鈥檚 drug discovery pipeline, with clinical trials targeted, 26 patents filed, and over 110 collaborative primary research papers published. The partnership has transformed approaches to industry鈥揳cademia engagement. It is driving a culture of research and training excellence, and creating a flow of skilled personnel to enhance capabilities within the healthcare sector.
Biography
The University of Strathclyde and GlaxoSmithKline partnership was set up to develop a framework whereby GSK employees work towards an MPhil/PhD degree through active drug discovery/development projects within GSK laboratories, with both industry and academic supervision. GSK was attracted by the research achievements of the university's chemistry academics and its track record of innovation in industry partnerships. GSK associates approached Strathclyde with the intention of establishing a unique research and training platform, as part of a sustained mission of continuous improvement of their drug discovery scientists. As intended, the research and training endeavours have provided appreciably challenging and prominent scientific and career development opportunities for talented graduate staff, while also establishing a pervasive culture of academic rigour and enhanced scientific excellence within the wider laboratory teams. Buoyed by these successes, in 2012, the programme was expanded to include further sub-disciplines, as well as to introduce non-GSK employee PhD cohorts, within either GSK or Strathclyde laboratories, with similar collaborative supervision, and the offering of secondments in both directions, providing exposure to both academic and industrial settings. To date, 187 employee and non-employee postgraduate researchers have registered, with 105 students having graduated to this stage with higher degree awards (97 PhD and 8 MPhil). Five chemical entities associated with the Strathclyde鈥揋SK partnership are progressing in GSK鈥檚 drug discovery pipeline, with clinical trials targeted, 26 patents filed, and over 110 collaborative primary research papers published. Overall, the partnership has led to enhanced researcher performance, productivity, rigour, and creativity from the scientists involved, whilst driving the translation of new science from academia into industry (and vice versa). Complementary expertise from each partner has maximised innovation and research performance at GSK, which is catalysing the generation of new and essential healthcare products, has influenced the culture and creativity of individual scientists and collaborative teams, and extensively raised training standards, all leading to broader benefits to the wider healthcare sector with eventual downstream positive impacts on public health.
"The significance and reach of the collaboration has gone well beyond the initial aims." Professor Harry A Kelly, Collaborative Programme Director, GlaxoSmithKline
University of Strathclyde and GSK
Q&A with University of Strathclyde and GSK
鈥淐ollaboration with industry is at the heart of our operations at Strathclyde and we are both delighted and honoured that our Strathclyde-GlaxoSmithKline research degree programmes have been recognised as worthy of the RSC Industry-Academia Collaboration Award.
The establishment of a rich array of pharma-aligned postgraduate students and associated research projects has resulted from a series of sustained and reciprocally beneficial relationships over a large number of years, where deep mutual trust has been established, alongside clear appreciation of the respective demands, drivers, and requirements of each partner.鈥漃rofessor William J Kerr, Collaborative Programme Director, and Deputy Associate Principal (Research & Knowledge Exchange), University of Strathclyde
鈥淭he significance and reach of the collaboration has gone well beyond the initial aims.
This award is testament to the committed and talented research supervisors and students we have across the partnership, who vigorously employ two-directional knowledge exchange to maximise innovation and impact within GSK and all as related to the wider national and international healthcare sector.鈥漃rofessor Harry A Kelly, Collaborative Programme Director, GlaxoSmithKline
鈥淭hese programmes have led to enhanced levels of project-relevant scientific knowledge, advanced thinking, and overall scientific rigour 鈥� The established collaborative framework has had a positive impact on and is now contributing extensively to overall organisational learning within GSK.
鈥滵ave Allen, Senior Vice-President and Chief Chemist, GlaxoSmithKline.