“Universities are vastly underutilised and potentially powerful vehicles for development in developing countries, particularly with respect to science and technology. If both universities and industry are encouraged to work actively together, universities will be able to assume new roles that could accelerate local and national development.” – United Nations Millennium Project
Groundbreaking medical research has the ability to enhance life expectancy and the quality of people’s lives. But tu
rning knowledge gained from research into useful health products and devices requires universities to think beyond the laboratory.
In a lecture at the university, Dr Hyder Khoja, the chief scientific officer of two Canada-based companies Oceanix Biotechnology and
Nash Pharmaceuticals, highlighted the key processes and partnerships that universities need to develop to explore the full potential of their research.
Dr Khoja, who has decades of experience in botanical drug development, is currently working with the AKU’s department of biomedical and biological sciences. He is currently working to deepen the scope of the university's existing research projects and is also liaising with industrial and funding partners to further develop the intellectual property created by researchers.
He began his lecture by revealing how researchers around the world are investigating chemical compounds commonly found in nature that can be put to therapeutic use, for example to help counter cancer. Pointing out the findings from research on chaga mushrooms and hops biomass, Dr Khoja highlighted the great potential to develop products based on research into chemical compounds commonly found in nature.
Outlining the stages of the product development process, Dr Khoja stated that health researchers first needed to identify an area of interest to public health or an unmet medical need. They would then need to investigate the current body of evidence to identify possible bioactive compounds that could be promising. The next stage involves the university evaluating the best way to conduct pre-clinical studies. This could either be done by investing in new facilities or by developing partnerships with institutions that already have access to specialised testing facilities.
Ensuring the supply of chemical compounds for experiments is another key consideration in the research process. Dr Khoja stated that since purchasing extracts from supplies can be expensive, universities could also opt to set up their own infrastructure to harvest these chemicals.
After evaluating the results of their experiments for the efficacy and safety of their therapeutic application, Dr Khoja mentioned that universities would need to have access to legal experts who would work alongside regulatory authorities to secure their intellectual property.
Dr Khoja emphasised that the process of developing new treatments for diseases takes several years and requires considerable investment. However, he added that scientists with the ability to sift through databases and secondary data could save a great deal of time in the crucial stage of identifying bioactive compounds.
“I’ve found a number of areas where partnerships can be initiated with AKU’s faculty. I look forward to using my experience in developing natural health products to form new partnerships that will promote the discovery of new drugs and healthcare innovations,” Dr Khoja added.
“Universities are vastly underutilised and potentially powerful vehicles for development in developing countries, particularly with respect to science and technology. If both universities and industry are encouraged to work actively together, universities will be able to assume new roles that could accelerate local and national development.” – United Nations Millennium Project
Groundbreaking medical research has the ability to enhance life expectancy and the quality of people’s lives. But tu
rning knowledge gained from research into useful health products and devices requires universities to think beyond the laboratory.
In a lecture at the university, Dr Hyder Khoja, the chief scientific officer of two Canada-based companies Oceanix Biotechnology and
Nash Pharmaceuticals, highlighted the key processes and partnerships that universities need to develop to explore the full potential of their research.
Dr Khoja, who has decades of experience in botanical drug development, is currently working with the AKU’s department of biomedical and biological sciences. He is currently working to deepen the scope of the university's existing research projects and is also liaising with industrial and funding partners to further develop the intellectual property created by researchers.
He began his lecture by revealing how researchers around the world are investigating chemical compounds commonly found in nature that can be put to therapeutic use, for example to help counter cancer. Pointing out the findings from research on chaga mushrooms and hops biomass, Dr Khoja highlighted the great potential to develop products based on research into chemical compounds commonly found in nature.
Outlining the stages of the product development process, Dr Khoja stated that health researchers first needed to identify an area of interest to public health or an unmet medical need. They would then need to investigate the current body of evidence to identify possible bioactive compounds that could be promising. The next stage involves the university evaluating the best way to conduct pre-clinical studies. This could either be done by investing in new facilities or by developing partnerships with institutions that already have access to specialised testing facilities.
Ensuring the supply of chemical compounds for experiments is another key consideration in the research process. Dr Khoja stated that since purchasing extracts from supplies can be expensive, universities could also opt to set up their own infrastructure to harvest these chemicals.
After evaluating the results of their experiments for the efficacy and safety of their therapeutic application, Dr Khoja mentioned that universities would need to have access to legal experts who would work alongside regulatory authorities to secure their intellectual property.
Dr Khoja emphasised that the process of developing new treatments for diseases takes several years and requires considerable investment. However, he added that scientists with the ability to sift through databases and secondary data could save a great deal of time in the crucial stage of identifying bioactive compounds.
“I’ve found a number of areas where partnerships can be initiated with AKU’s faculty. I look forward to using my experience in developing natural health products to form new partnerships that will promote the discovery of new drugs and healthcare innovations,” Dr Khoja added.