The innovative new module has been introduced in line with Government policy to enhance the transfer of knowledge from the university sector to the corporate world. It aims to give Ph.D. students a practical introduction to the protection and management of intellectual property in a university research environment.

The innovative new module has been introduced in line with Government policy to enhance the transfer of knowledge from the university sector to the corporate world. It aims to effectively manage and protect the knowledge created through scientific research and discovery by giving Ph.D. students a practical introduction to the protection and management of intellectual property in a university research environment.

Delivered by DCUBS and Invent DCU, the module offers a unique learning experience, as it enables international, interdisciplinary and inter-level (students at different stages in the Ph.D. process) to work together to explorethe commercial potential of scientific knowledge. All DCU faculties were represented in the first cohort of students.

The Intellectual Property (IP) and Commercialisation module marks the first stage in the implementation of  DCU’s Leaders in Science, Engineering and Technology (L-SET) programme, which aims to equip research scholars at the university with business and transferrable skills. The module is delivered through a series of half-day workshops, which are led by academic entrepreneurs and experts in the fields of intellectual property and technology transfer. Topics include intellectual property, patent searching, research records, business planning, market evaluation and analysis. The module coordinators are Dr. Teresa Hogan of DCUBS and Emma O’Neill of Invent DCU.

Among the business ideas presented by the first graduates of the module was a diabetes breath monitor, a cosmetic antioxidant sensor, a new light source for backlighting in mobile telephones using alternative LED light technologies, an automated laboratory assistant, and a diagnostic device for the detection of cancer cells.

The wining prize went to an inter faculty group from Physics and Computing for the Automated Laboratory Assistant system, which automates the configuration process and allows for greater accuracy and interoperability in terms of information sharing. The winning team members were Martin O'Connor, Robert Burger and Joseph Cullen.

Invent DCU sponsored an award for the best project, which was presented by Professor Gary Murphy, Director of DCU’s Graduate School.

For further information on the GS601 Module on IP and Commercialisation, contact Graduate Research Office (www.dcu.ie/graduate_research/).
For further information on the commercialisation of research at DCU, contact Invent DCU (www.dcu.ie/invent).

Graduating students of DCU’s new IP and Commercialisation module