Intellectual property case studies

University of Plymouth projects
Dr Zaki Ahmed

Pulsiv Solar Limited 

Dr Mohamed Zaki Ahmed (School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics) 

Spin-out company with 47% shareholding by the University (University of Plymouth Enterprise Limited (UoPEL)). Based at Plymouth Science Park, the company was created to exploit the commercialisation of pulsed-energy extraction techniques, developed by Dr Ahmed, from standard solar PV panels. 

First-round investment of c£500k (pre-trading) completed in September 2015. 

The University currently supports three patent families in support of this venture, which is presently licensed to the company. Furthermore, the company has a Collaboration agreement and Option agreement with a large energy supplier, globally, for two live demonstrator sites for the next 24 months.

PoreXpert project

PoreXpert Limited 

Professor Peter Matthews (School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences)

Spin-out company with 35% shareholding by University (University of Plymouth Enterprise Limited (UoPEL). Incorporated in September 2012 to exploit porosimetry software, developed at the University.

Established techniques for porosimetry (the measurement of porosity) are highly specialised, costly, slow and hardware based. Porexpert software offers a novel approach, enabling the user to model materials and structures in 3D against a range of parameters in quick time – offering a valuable tool to industry.

Currently, seeking first round funding opportunity.

Nerve cells 

Patient Recorded Outcome Scales

Professor Jeremy Hobart (Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry)

Copyright licences for a range of Multiple-Sclerosis Patient Related Outcome (PRO) measures have raised £360k in licence income over the past three years. The PRO measures are used in clinical trials to determine the efficacy of drugs on improving or delaying disease onset. The licence revenue is shared between the Institutions that created the PRO measures.

Academics at Plymouth have the choice of either taking such licence revenue as salary or using the income for research. In this case, all the Plymouth income is used by Professor Hobart to support his research at the MS Unit.

Viral Vaccines 

Dr Michael Jarvis (Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry)

The vaccines can be targeted against a wide variety of virus diseases with specific interest at the present time in treatments for Ebola, TB, AIDS and swine fever. Three patent applications have been filed (just entering PCT phase) and are the result of collaborations with several different institutes in the US. Plymouth has led on the filing of the patent applications. The patent application filing has been done to ensure that publications are not delayed or compromised. The patent portfolio covers:

  • specific vector constructs; 
  • a method to destabilise the vector once immunity has been achieved; and
  • a cloning system that allows large DNA sequences to be cloned without the need for DNA polymerisation which can introduce sequence errors. 
The collaborative research is continuing and different funding sources are being applied for.

Water Quality Testing 

Professor Simon Jackson (School of Biomedical & Healthcare Sciences) 

The University filed a patent application on the work of three academics in the School of Biomedical & Healthcare Sciences. The invention is for the detection of faecal indicator bacteria in water, with specific interest in sea water bathing quality. Anas Sattar who was a PhD student at the time of the invention has secured a young researcher award to carry out three months market assessment of the invention through funding through the ICURe Innovation-to-Commercialisation programme (piloted by the ‘Set-Squared’ partnership) to develop a testing regime for sea-water quality.