Translational Medicine and Bio-entrepreneurship
About the course
The 3 week block course Translational Medicine and Bio-entrepreneurship (551-1711-00L) introduces 30 biology students to the entrepreneurial process of translating an idea or scientific insight into a commercially viable service or product. Examples are drawn from drug-development, biotechnology, med-tech and e-health.
CAL support
The course uses the active learning approach. Students work in teams to select and then develop a business idea of their own. At the end of the course Students present their projects to a panel of entrepreneurs and investors.
Students receive input lectures and coaching on key aspects of the entrepreneurial process (product development, intellectual property, regulatory and ethical oversight, funding sources etc.) from guest-lectures recruited from the local start-up, pharmaceutical and biotech community. These inputs are supplemented by case studies and site visits of selected start-up companies and specific projects within established companies.
The course emphasises entrepreneurship’s role as a driver of societal progress. Cooperative, social entrepreneurship and non-profit approaches to realising projects are discussed along side traditional for-profit approaches.
