Associate Professor Fernando Guimaraes wants to see his research discoveries translated into therapies that fight disease. An ambitious young lab head with some research contracts already established with industry, he joined the Bridge Program to expand his future funding prospects even further, and came away with more knowledge and opportunities than expected.
Fernando realises the importance of building research-industry relationships. He is the Group Leader of the Translational Innate Immunotherapy Laboratory at the University of Queensland Frazer Institute and is a recognised emerging leader in Natural Killer cell research. Fernando’s research is focused on harnessing the body’s front-line immune cells to fight cancer, with potential new immunotherapies in development.
“Essentially I want to stimulate the body’s immune system to beat diseases that don’t have standard treatments, or where existing therapies aren’t effective,” Fernando said.
In this role he has secured multiple industry partnerships that showed him joint ventures with industry can be established without limiting the freedom of investigation that is essential to scientific discovery.
“I also realised the fundamental importance of these collaborations, both from a funding perspective and to enable the translation of my research into tangible outcomes that help patients,” Fernando said.
He applied for the Bridge Program to continue creating industry connections and opportunities for future funding, and to learn the fundamentals of commercialising new therapies.
“The Bridge Program is a free, unique opportunity to make industry connections and gain the basic knowledge you need – from modules on IP and regulatory requirements, through to delivering a successful pitch,” Fernando said.
Fernando took part in the Bridge Program’s pitching competition to refine his skills, and his 2-minute video pitch won the AUD$10K travel prize to tour pharma industry facilities and attend the BIO International Convention in San Diego in 2022.
“The US experience helped me to make many new connections, one of which has led to a new collaboration with an USA-based industry. I’m working with this organisation now – we have secured a confidential disclosure agreement and are currently testing their compounds,” he said.
Pitch Competition winners: Yadveer Grewal, Sally McFadden, Sarah Jones, Bridge Program Director Prof Lyn Griffiths, Simona Carbone, Erin Brazel, Raymond Luong, Vivian Liao & Fernando Guimaraes at the BIO International Convention in San Diego, 2022.
The Bridge Program’s collaborative activity was another opportunity for Fernando to create industry connections. Participants work together to develop and propose (fictional) IP to a prospective industry audience.
“I got a lot out of working on this activity with my group, who were fellow program participants from academia and industry. I made some great industry connections here from Australian pharmaceutical companies,” Fernando said.
The IP proposals developed during the collaborative activity are assessed and feedback is provided to participants by industry representatives at the program’s 3-Day Symposium event. The Symposium features a line-up of national and international biotech industry speakers, networking events and the opportunity to network in person with industry leaders.
“The combination of events like the Symposium, the online learning materials and pitch training offered by the Bridge Program creates a very unique training program – the best I have come across in Australia. The connections I made and what I learnt are already impacting on my commercialisation pathway,” Fernando said.
Join a nation-wide network of pharma and biotech professionals
Each year, researchers like Fernando Guimaraes are joined by professionals from across Australia and New Zealand to take part in the Bridge Program – from entrepreneurs through to business development and government professionals.
Supported by our consortium of industry and university partners, participants join one of the country’s most significant pharmaceutical and biotech networks. They take part in a series of events, activities, and seminars while undertaking self-paced, online training to develop a comprehensive understanding of the pharmaceutical commercialisation pathway.