Ever wondered if your hours of painstaking lab experimentation and hard-won evidence could directly benefit the community?

With many ground-breaking research projects

underway at the University, your chance to shine as

WA’s next top innovator may only be one invention

disclosure application form away. You’ll need this

to nominate for the WA Innovator of the Year 2010.

Nominations are now open and UWA’s Office of

Industry and Innovation (OII) are calling on UWA staff

to throw their hat in the ring by Friday 14 May 2010.

Carrying a prize pool of $200,000, the awards

recognise and reward the innovative technologies

of WA researchers that are benefiting the

community and the environment. The awards

are not just about receiving financial backing;

successful finalists are provided with the tools

they need to take an idea and turn it into a

commercially viable enterprise through business

skills training and mentoring.

Bringing your idea to commercial fruition can

appear to be a daunting task but the OII has

In this issue

p1 The search for WA Innovator of the Year

p2 Cancer treatment needs commercial partner

p2 UWA’s groundbreaking mine mesh to go global

p2 Upcoming events

Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts 0

Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences 1

Business School 0

Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics 7

Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences 10

Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences 12

Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences 4

TOTAL 34

an experienced team to take you through this

process, starting with an invention disclosure

application. The sooner you can notify us of your

project – no matter how big or small – the quicker

we can set you up with the support you need.

Dr Andy Sierakowski, Director of UWA’s OII, said

innovation at UWA has already led to significant

advances in key areas of health, mining and

petroleum, environment and agriculture.

“Over the years, UWA researchers have already

established a strong track-record of winning in

the WA Inventor of the Year awards. There are

many ideas bubbling away here on campus that

we would like to submit; we just need you to come

and tell us about them.”

High Energy Absorbing Mesh, invented by Yves

Potvin, Director of UWA’s Australian Centre of

Geomechanics, won the 2008 WA Inventor of

the Year (Ready for Market category). His mesh

technology, to make work conditions safer for

underground miners, is likely to be used around

the world, following an agreement signed in

March this year.

UWA was also particularly successful in these

awards in 2006, scooping four of the six WA

Inventor of the Year prizes.

“Even if you have a great idea but are not

ready to enter this year, we can help you get

started with advice on how to bridge the gap

between the development of your idea and its

commercialisation,” said Andy Sierakowski.

If you require assistance with your application please notify the OII by Friday 14 May 2010. The deadline for entry to the WA Department of Commerce is Monday 14 June and entrants will be notified of the results on Friday 23 July.

2009 Invention disclosure tally

Dr Andy Sierakowski discusses commercialisation at the launch of WA Innovator of the Year

The search for WA Innovator of the Year begins at UWA

imagine inspire innovate interact invest

Tech Transfer NewsOFFICE OF INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION May 2010 Issue 2

www.oii.uwa.edu.au

Contact UsOffice of Industry and Innovation

The University of Western Australia M462, 35 Stirling Highway CRAWLEY WA 6009

Tel: (08) 6488 7172 Fax: (08) 6488 2333 Web: www.oii.uwa.edu.au

Dr Andy Sierakowski Director Tel: (08) 6488 7048 Email: afs@admin.uwa.edu.au

CRICOS Provider Code: 00126G

A protein that early trials indicate performs as well as a leading cancer fighting drug has been developed by an international team including several researchers from UWA.

Results recently published in The American Journal of Pathology show the naturally-occurring protein inhibits tumours as well as the successful commercial drug Avastin.

The so-called ‘Secreted Frizzled-Related Protein 4’ (sFRP4) is a naturally occurring protein that is known to play an important role in promoting cell death by blocking blood-vessel formation.

This blocking role makes the protein useful in fighting cancer, Professor Dharmarajan from UWA’s School of Anatomy and Human Biology said: “In order to grow and spread, tumours need a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients. Tumours get this supply by creating their own network of blood vessels via angiogenesis.”

“Our data suggests that sFRP4 is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis. Further animal studies are required to determine whether sFRP4 is active against other cancers, synergistic with other treatments, pharmacologically tolerated, and what the best dosage regimes for treatments would be.”

Professor Arun Dharmarajan said that UWA and research partner Anna University in Chenai both hold patent applications on the use of sFRP4 and are keen to find a commercial partner to further the project.

Simon Handford, of the OII, said the discovery was still an early-stage opportunity and required more work to validate.

“Hopefully Professor Dharmarajan’s publication will help bring it to the attention of biotech and pharmaceutical companies that are interested in evaluating potential cancer treatments,” Mr Handford said.

Professor Dharmarajan said the publication of the findings in the prestigious, peer-reviewed journal was a big step in a journey that he began more than 25 years ago.

UWA’s groundbreaking mine mesh to go globalTechnology invented at UWA to make work conditions safer for underground miners is likely to be used around the world, following the recent signing of an agreement through UWA’s OII to further commercialise High Energy Absorbing (HEA) Mesh.

UWA will collaborate with German company DYWIDAG-Systems International (DSI) to commercialise the mesh which won UWA Professor Yves Potvin the WA Inventor of the Year Award in 2008 (Ready for Market category). The mesh, made of recycled scrap metal, is easy to install and has high load-bearing capacity.

DSI is a market leader in the construction and mining technology sector with a strong manufacturing base.

“The major benefits of this mesh will be to improve mine safety, especially where the ground conditions are rockburst-prone and challenging,” Professor Potvin said.

“I’d like to thank the staff at UWA’s Office of Industry and Innovation and in particular Project Manager Tom Schnepple, for his work in making today’s agreement with DSI a reality.”

DSI Chief Executive Officer Alan Bate said: “We are very pleased to be working with The University of Western Australia and Professor Potvin to make this product a success in the international mining sector. This agreement is our joint commitment to making this product a proven benefit to DSI’s clients.”

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Alan Bate and Professor Potvin joining forces to commercialise HEA Mesh

Promising cancer treatment needs commercial partner

Professor Dharmarajan and colleague Dr Arfuso

DevelopingCommercialisation

Skills WorkshopWhere: Club Capricorn Resort & Conference Centre, YanchepWhen: 15 & 16 September 2010Cost: Free

Specifically designed for postgraduate students, this workshop retreat will be structured into discrete modules. You will learn more about IP Protection – what is it and why is it important?

Break-out sessions on “What’s the commercial potential of my research?”

Case study presentation.

For bookings, please contact the OII.

www.oii.uwa.edu.au

P2 OFFICE OF INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION