Five new projects collaborate on societal challenges

On 8 March, Uppsala University Innovation in collaboration with Junior Faculty and the Society for Women Researchers in Uppsala invite you to an online event focussing on women's opportunities to fully engage in solving future challenges.

Five new projects have received funding within the framework of Uppsala University's Verification for collaboration program, VFS. The projects concern for example virtual learning and museums and the implementation of the Philani Mentor Mother Model in socially deprived communities.

UU Innovation invites doctoral students, postdocs and researchers to sign up for a new round of the course on intellectual property and commercialisation (3 ECTS). The course runs in March and is now open for registration.

Den 1 januari 2021 gjordes en uppdelning av UU Innovations verksamhet och två nya enheter bildades med placering under rektor: UU Innovation respektive UU Samverkan. Syftet är att stärka universitetets gemensamma innovations- och samverkansarbete i enlighet med UU Mål och strategier.

"We are all one humanity, so how do we use technology to communicate that?" asks Anna Foka in this short talk. The question clearly captures her focus and drive as a researcher.

As a professor of social medicine, she has the entire population as her patient. Anna Sarkadi's research concerns societal interventions to prevent child and parent mental health problems and promote wellbeing. She sees her research group as a resource that can have an influence on the national arena and she firmly claims that it is simply not enough to publish scientifically, not if you, like her, work with applied research. As a researcher, she thinks it is important to work to ensure that the knowledge that is produced is also implemented. Even so, she knows from her own experience, which includes parental support in preschool environments and methods in child health care, that implementing research is not easy.

“Implementing evidence-based practice is a huge challenge for our welfare society,” says Anna in this interview.

Which people are interested in using peaceful methods and which are prone to resorting to violence to accomplish something? And how can we measure risk indicators for extreme behaviors? These are questions of great interest to Nazar Akrami, associate professor of psychology, in his research on prejudice and attitudes linked to personality. Together with research colleagues at his own department and the Swedish Defense Research Agency, FOI, he has developed a tool that, with the help of algorithms, will help find potential perpetrators of violence, as well as terrorists. The tool can automatically and quickly analyze large amounts of text online based on a range of psychological variables and focuses on assessing the risks of violent and terrorist acts. The tool has aroused great interest among analysts at police authorities around the world and is now being tested by the FBI.

“The interest is there and it comes from different places so there is probably a need, we absolutely believe so,” says Nazar Akrami in this interview.

The tool has been named Dechefr, which is a clear flirtation with the word "decipher" and is now being developed commercially within a company that the researchers started for that purpose.

Louise von Essen is a professor of caring science and program director for U-CARE - a strategic research initiative for psychological care via the Internet. At U-CARE, Louise and her research team are developing innovative treatment programs to improve the mental health of people suffering from diseases such as cancer, dementia and heart problems, for both patients and their loved ones. Involving those affected by the research is a natural course of action for Louise and her colleagues and something she thinks more people could be better at. The knowledge that researchers at U-CARE have now built up over 10 years also includes how to design studies to be able to conduct valuable and relevant research. Presently, her thoughts are occupied with how the knowledge of conducting relevant clinical research can be packaged and disseminated to others.

She has experience from working as a researcher within academia and the pharmaceutical industry, and she has built a company from the ground up. Now she is looking forward to helping other researchers make use of their results outside academia. Uppsala University Innovation welcomes Susanne Bredenberg as a new business advisor.

Scaleout Systems är ett uppstartsbolag med fokus på att hjälpa organisationer att ta avancerad maskininlärning till produktion. Företaget, en avknoppning från Uppsala universitet, är på frammarsch och har nyligen blivit både partner till den nationella satsningen AI Sweden och tagit sig in på listan över framstående startups inom AI och datavetenskap.

His projects always start in some practical problem that arouses his interest. And they always end up with him wanting to see how the solution actually works. The step to application comes naturally to Alexander Medvedev, Professor of Control Engineering at the Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University. Rarely does he need to look for problems to study and solve, they are always there. One that affects us all right now is Covid-19 and he is part of the Crush Covid project which is a collaboration between Uppsala University and the Uppsala Region.

“If you want to overcome an epidemic, you have to use automatic control,” says Alexander in this interview.

Medical challenges are particularly interesting to Alexander and one of his goals is to be able to contribute to a solution that has a major impact.

Åsa Cajander embraces the great breadth of her field of research with great enthusiasm. She is a professor of Human Computer Interaction at the Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University, and has explored the area in many different settings, not least within healthcare. Collaboration runs as a common thread through both her research and teaching. It becomes a means of creating new ideas and driving improvements that can make a real difference for both organisations and individuals.

“I’m into trying to rescue the world. That’s my mission,” Åsa says in this interview.

Anneli Häyrén is not alone in thinking that research-based knowledge is important when engaging in activities to increase gender equality at the work place. On the contrary, as a gender researcher and gender equality expert, she is often contacted to contribute her knowledge in these processes. Collaborating with organisations outside academia is part of her daily life as a researcher. She also states that it has its clear advantages, such as funding and increased quality in research. The question is whether there are any downsides, not least from a gender equality perspective?

"How can we bring about systemic change to improve the use and availability of antibiotics?" This is an issue that engages Enrico Baraldi, professor of industrial technology and project manager for PLATINEA - a collaborative platform between academia, healthcare, industry and government. PLATINEA is basically a step in combating antibiotic resistance, but what is the role of the university in such a context? Could the university have the role of an enabler for critical collaboration and, in the long-term, societal benefit?

Solar cell researcher Charlotte Platzer Björkman sees a bright future ahead when it comes to solar energy. In her research, she develops thin film solar cells that use less material and energy in production than conventional solar cells. She is also looking for new solar cell materials that are inexpensive, environmentally friendly and highly available. New materials can lead to new applications, allowing even larger use of solar cells to meet global electricity demands. Nevertheless, as a researcher it can be difficult to know when you have an idea that can be commercialised. Collaboration with industry is a way to create an understanding of challenges and needs, as well as identifying opportunities for students.

Life is anything but calm for Gabriele Messori. He is an associate professor of meteorology and his main research interests are extreme weather and atmospheric predictability in current and future climates. In the spring of 2020, he received a large research grant from the Research Executive Agency (REA) and the project planning is in full swing. The project includes several companies and there is a clear focus on bringing research findings into practical use. His interest in finding ways for his knowledge to make an impact and be of use in society is also the primary reason for his participation in UU Innovation's Mentor4Research programme.

Gustaf Gredebäck is a professor of developmental psychology and director of the Uppsala Child and Baby Lab. His drive to understand what promotes young children's development is as strong as communicating that knowledge to parents and preschool staff. Among other things, Gustaf is involved in the creation of a preschool center in Uppsala. By working closer together with preschools, he brings new knowledge to the lab and enriches the preschool environment.

Mamduh Halawa keeps himself busy. With just one year left of his studies at the Psychology programme at Uppsala University, he has already published a book and developed a mobile app that is soon ready for launch. The Zeeds mobile app is based on the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) method, which Mamduh describes as a young branch of cognitive behavioral therapy. The app will help its users create a more meaningful life by playfully stimulating more of the concrete behaviors that create joy and meaning for each individual.

Malin Eriksson is soon finishing her doctoral studies in developmental psychology. In the spring of 2020, she has worked together with Heby municipality in a project that concerns young people who neither study nor have a job. Collaborating with an external actor can be somewhat challenging, but at the same time very rewarding for everyone involved. “Relationships are important and building them take time,” Malin states.

A good team is key when it comes to the opportunity to develop as a company and overcome setbacks. These are the words of Stergios Efes, who together with a friend started the company nonoGroup in parallel with his studies as a language technologist at Uppsala University. nonoGroup is developing a search engine service tailored for companies. Others things he has learned during his incipient journey as an entrepreneur, is the importance of sharing your ideas with others and listening to, and learning from, feedback.

“I’m looking forward to working with researchers, giving guidance on how to commercialise innovative project and product proposals,” says Mats Falk who is new business advisor at UU Innovation.

Therese Fagerqvist is a new collaboration manager at UU Innovation and she brings with her many years of experience in project management and process development.

The last day to apply for Mentor4Research 2021 is approaching. The programme provides PhD students and researchers from all subject areas the opportunity to partner with a mentor from outside of academia and develop a broader network both within and outside the university.

Samverkan kring industrins materialfrågor. I oktober är det dags igen. För trettonde året i rad bjuder Uppsala universitet in företag till AIMday Materials som i år går av stapeln i digital form den 22 oktober.

Learn how to identify and make use of your intellectual assets. Take the course on intellectual property and commercialisation provided by Uppsala University Innovation in collaboration with the Swedish Patent and Registration Office. Registration for the course is open.

Vinnova delar ut totalt 42 miljoner till 141 uppstartsbolag med innovativa affärsidéer. Bolagen får ett bidrag på upp till 300 000 kronor och tre av dessa är avknoppningsbolag från Uppsala universitet.

Vilka utmaningar står Uppsala inför i vattenfrågan? Kom med och lyssna och diskutera på Accessdagen den 3 juni då frågan kommer att belysas ur flera perspektiv. Du kan delta på Zoom. 
 

Hello there ... Björn Ingemarsson, advisor at UU Innovation, who will answer your questions during Innovation hour.

The assessment practice of schools, the Internet of Things, food knowledge, and new technology for concentrating sunlight. These are the areas in focus in four projects that received funding at the start of the year through Uppsala University's Verification for Collaboration (VFS) programme.

Vad är en innovation? Vem är innovatör? Vad gör ett innovationskontor? UU Innovation lanserar nu ett nytt format för att skapa en dialog kring dessa och andra närliggande frågor. Häng med på kvartssamtal med UU Innovation två gånger i veckan under maj och juni via Zoom.

15 projekt som verkar för en bättre hälsa får dela på 36 miljoner kronor i innovationsprogrammen Swelifes och Medtech4Healths gemensamma utlysning. Ken Welch, professor vid institutionen för materialvetenskap vid Uppsala universitet, leder ett av de utvalda projekten.

Sara Mangsbo, cancerforskare och serieentreprenör har utsetts till en av Sveriges tio mest innovativa entreprenörer 2020 av Stiftelsen ÅForsk och branschorganisationen Swedish Incubators & Science Parks, SISP. Hon tilldelas ÅForsk Entreprenörsstipendium om 200 000 kronor för läkemedelsutvecklingsprojektet IMMGAP.

Now is the time to nominate your candidate for Uppsala University's Innovation Prize Hjärnapplet. The prize consists of a diploma, a sculpture and SEK 50,000. Nominate your candidate by 26 April.

She thrives in entrepreneurial environments and wants to help make the important, but sometimes tricky, intellectual property rights easier. Since early March, Thorunn Grenmark has been serving as a new advisor at UU Innovation, bringing with her almost 30 years of experience in the field of intellectual property rights.

Here is a grand opportunity to collaborate with pharmaceutical companies on your innovative solution. Researchers and students with a registered company can now apply for joining the EIT Health program 'Start-ups meet Pharma'.

Are you a researcher or student who have registered a company to pursue a business within the health care area? You can now apply for up to 50 000 EUR in Headstart Funding from EIT Health to validate your idea, product or service further.

Are you curious of commercialisation? Would you like to increase your understanding of the various intellectual property (IP) tools that are out there and how they play an important role in the utilisation of research? In that case, Uppsala University Innovation’s course on IP and commercialisation can be something for you. Here are four good reasons to register for the course.

Årets pristagare av Peter Egardts stipendium för Uppländskt entreprenörskap är Anders Ajaxson Persson och Sara Mangsbo, forskare inom mikrosystemteknik respektive immunonkologi vid Uppsala universitet.

A new high-technology polymer composite for radiation shielding applications has been launched by the Uppsala University spin-off company Additive Composite Uppsala AB. The material is optimized for 3D-printing which makes it easier for industry and big science facilities to replace toxic materials.

Five new research collaborations with external parties have kicked off after receiving funding through the University’s Verification for Collaboration initiative (abbreviated VFS in Swedish). Purification of stormwater, municipal activity responsibility, and women’s influence in religious communities are three examples of focus areas.