Cellule de transfert IGFL

The taskforce’s main objective is to promote research with a translational potential conducted in our institute. It has been set up at the initiative of, and is coordinated by, Benjamin Gillet who has a background in emerging start-up biotechnology companies.

The taskforce has a pivotal role in the initial stages to determine the novelty of a fortuitous basic research finding, the intellectual property behind it and the industrial availability of the underlying technologies. It recognises the sequence of stages to the technology transfer process (Identification, Maturation, Innovation, Technology Transfer).

In the initial stages, Benjamin Gillet ensures the technology watch of emerging projects (identification phase). This has meant establishing a dynamic inventory of results with a translational potential and/or practical applications for enhancing human health, environmental and / or agricultural outcomes (e.g. start-up company establishment, industrial contracts, collaborations with private sector companies, patents, licensing, etc.).The taskforce's actions are supported by a steering committee comprising the IGFL’s management team, team leaders, members of our institutional technology transfer services and other external experts implicated in science to industry technology transfer (past external members are listed below):

• Nadia Kamal, Eclosion France ;
• Sandrine Magnetto, Adjointe du Délégué Régional à la Recherche et à la Technologie, CNRS DR7;
• Christine Duarte, Chargée de valorisation Sciences du Vivant / Environnement, LST/SATT, UCBL1 ;
• Pascale Maisonneuve ;
• Julie Rachline.

Projects / results are presented to the steering committee with a view of obtaining customised input and advice for nurturing of projects (maturation phase).

The second stage objective is for the well-established technology transfer services of SPV CNRS, Valorisation ENS de Lyon, Pulsalys to follow-up as is their mission with projects that have passed the proof of concept (the IGFL’s in-house structure’s role decreases accordingly through the Innovation and Technology transfer phases).

This in-house structure’s core goal is to optimize and accelerate the progress of high potential projects in the early phases, enhance the development towards structured projects, and ultimately increase the success rate of technology transfer at the IGFL.

Moreover, this taskforce raises the awareness of IGFL researchers (at all levels, from students to senior scientists via all technical staff) to the importance of considering translational research opportunities arising from their research. By virtue of being in situ, the structure is a guarantor of the necessary good practice that goes hand in hand with IP protection. All personnel have been informed of how to avoid confidentiality breaches or inadvertently disclosing results (for example) that may impair or terminate the transfer potential.