Translational Research Symposium 2026
- Date:
- Time:
- 09:00 am - 05:00 pm
- Event type:
- Courses and workshops
- Contact email:
- Email us
- Organiser:
- Translational Research Office
- Address:
- Saïd Business School Park End Street Oxford Oxfordshire OX1 1HP United Kingdom
Description
More info
08:45 – Registration and coffee
09:15 – Welcome & Housekeeping: Dr Deepak Kumar, Head of the Translational Research Office
09:20 – Welcome and opening remarks: Medical Sciences Division: Driving Translation and Innovation Impact
Speaker: Prof Heidi Johansen-Berg (Pro VC Strategic Initiatives; Associate Head of MSD Research & Innovation)
Synopsis: This opening talk will set the scene for the symposium by exploring what successful translation looks like across the Medical Sciences Division and beyond. Prof Johansen-Berg will highlight the breadth, scale and impact of translational research across MSD, showcasing how discoveries progress from the laboratory into tangible patient, societal and economic benefit. The talk will also reflect on the people, programmes and partnerships that make this journey possible, highlighting the vital role of the translational ecosystem in supporting researchers to navigate the path from discovery to impact. This includes the Translational Research Office, Business Partnerships Office, Oxford University Innovation, BioEscalator, Oxford University Hospitals and NHS partners, Oxford Science Enterprises, the Biomedical Research Centre, and our wider network of external collaborators who help accelerate the translation of research into real-world outcomes.
09:30 – The Oxford Translational Ecosystem in 25 Minutes
Chair: Prof Paul Leeson (Academic Lead for Innovation, MSD)
Speakers: Dr Deepak Kumar (Translational Research Office), Dr Maxine Allen (Business Partnerships Office), Dr Laura Newell (Oxford University Innovation), Dr Sally Dewhurst (Oxford Science Enterprises), Dr Claire Shingler (BioEscalator), Mr Greg Jones (EnSpire)
Synopsis: This fast-paced session will provide an overview of Oxford’s translational and innovation ecosystem, helping researchers understand the key organisations, programmes and support mechanisms available to them. Through a visual walkthrough of the translational pathway, attendees will gain insight into how different parts of the ecosystem work together to support the journey from discovery to impact. The session will introduce major stakeholders, including the Translational Research Office (TRO), Business Partnerships Office (BPO), Oxford University Innovation (OUI), Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE), BioEscalator, and EnSpire Oxford, offering a practical roadmap to the expertise, funding and commercialisation support available across the University.
09:55 – TRO spotlight session: How the TRO Supports Translational Ambition
Speakers: Dr Deepak Kumar, Dr Qhayiya Mudau, Dr Kavita Subramaniam, Ms Vlada Yarosh
Synopsis: A dedicated TRO-led session that clearly explains the internal support offer. This will provide an overview of the TRO’s translational research support ecosystem, including the MLSTF and DiTi programme, which serves as the proof-of-concept funding mechanism for projects within the Global Health remit. The session will outline how projects progress through the TRO support pathway, from early-stage ideas through validation and translation, and explain how academics can access the ExiR network for specialist advice, challenge, mentoring and acceleration support. It will also highlight the TRO’s role in supporting overseas research units and international partnerships, ensuring that researchers across the University’s global research portfolio can access translational expertise, funding opportunities and commercialisation support.
10:25 – Refreshment break
10:50 – Keynote session: Building a Strong Translational Case for Support
Speaker: Prof Simon Hollingsworth (Chair of the Medical and Life Sciences Translational Fund; AstraZeneca)
11:10 - Strengthening your IP Strategy in a Translational Grant Application
Speaker: Dr Steve Silvey (Oxford University Innovation)
Synopsis: A highly practical session focused on what makes a successful translational funding application and how it differs from a traditional research grant. The session will provide practical guidance on structuring a compelling case for support, articulating patient, clinical and commercial impact, and demonstrating a credible pathway to translation. The session will explore the key components commonly assessed in translational funding schemes, including unmet need, value proposition, development and de-risking strategy, milestones and go/no-go criteria, intellectual property considerations, regulatory planning, team composition, and routes to adoption. Attendees will also gain insight into common weaknesses and pitfalls in applications, alongside practical tips and examples to help strengthen future submissions across a range of translational funding programmes.
11:20 – From PoC to Progress: Translational Success Stories
Speakers: Prof Pawel Swietach (DPAG), Dr Xiao Gu (Department of Engineering), Prof Thomas Roberts (Department of Paediatrics)
Synopsis: Hear directly from 3 researchers who have successfully advanced their innovations beyond the proof-of-concept stage. Through a series of short case studies, speakers will share their translational journeys, highlighting different routes to impact, key milestones, challenges encountered, and lessons learned along the way. Examples may include the creation of spin-out companies, licensing opportunities, clinical implementation, industry partnerships, and the securing of follow-on funding. The session will offer practical insights for researchers looking to take their own ideas closer to real-world application and impact.
12:00 – Lunch and networking
Exhibitor Stands: BioEscalator, Oxford Science Enterprises, EnSpire, Oxford University Innovation, Business Partnerships Office
13:15 – Panel discussion “The Translational Funding Landscape: What Has Changed, What Funders Want, and How to Build a Route Through It”
Chair: Prof Paul Leeson (Academic Lead for Innovation, MSD)
Panel Members: Dr Joanna Smart (NIHR), Dr Cynthia Bullock (UKRI), Prof James Leiper (British Heart Foundation)
Synopsis: The translational funding landscape is changing rapidly. UKRI and MRC are reshaping their funding approaches while many other funding organisations also continue to evolve how they support translation and impact. Following a brief overview of the changing landscape, representatives from each organisation will discuss key developments in their funding portfolios, emerging priorities, and what they are looking for in applications. The discussion will focus on how researchers can navigate funding as a connected translational pathway rather than a series of standalone opportunities. Panel members will explore how funding needs and expectations change from early discovery through validation, development and implementation, helping attendees understand how to build a coherent route from research to real-world impact.
14:00 – Panel discussion “Translational Regulation: Planning Early to Reduce Risk Later”
Chair: Dr Toni Day (Regulatory Insights)
Panel Members: Dr Andrew Zambanini (MHRA), Mr Daniel Voyce (Hillside Engineering Contractors), Mr Peter Bowness (GE HealthCare)
Synopsis: A session for academics who are developing interventions toward patient impact and need to understand what the regulatory pathway means in practice. A practical conversation on regulatory strategy for diagnostics, devices, digital health, and software-enabled innovation. Focus on how to think about regulatory requirements early and align development plans accordingly.
14:45 – Refreshment break
15:15 – Panel discussion “Commercial Pathways and Partnership Models: How to Choose the Right Route to Impact”
Chaired: Dr Maxine Allen (Business Partnerships Office)
Panel members: Dr Maryam Atakhorrami (NovoNordisk), Dr Anthony Brown (Captor Therapeutics and Drug Discovery Limited), Professor Louise Thwaites (Oxford University Clinical Research Unit) and Dr Laura Newell (Oxford University Innovation)
Synopsis: This session will help academics think strategically about the most appropriate route to take their innovation forward, whether through licensing, strategic partnership, collaboration with industry, or spinout creation. It will explore how the nature of the technology, the maturity of the evidence, the target user or market, and the long-term ambition of the project all influence the commercial pathway. The discussion will also cover how non-dilutive funding, collaboration, and commercial engagement can work together to de-risk innovation and accelerate progress toward clinical and societal impact. This builds naturally on the commercialisation, IP, and investor themes already present in the existing symposium structure.
16:00 – Panel discussion “How Investors See the Opportunity: What Makes a Translational Innovation Investable”
Chair: Dr Tony Besse (Oxford Science Enterprises)
Panel Member: Dr Jan Wolber (GE HealthCare), Prof Thomas Roberts (Department of Paediatrics; OrfonyxBio), Dr Mamta Bajre (Health Innovation Oxford & Thames Valley), Dr Adam Workman (Oxford University Innovation)
Synopsis: The discussion will consider how factors such as the nature of the technology, the maturity of the evidence, the target user or market, and the long-term ambition of the project influence commercial strategy. Panel members will also discuss how investors assess the likelihood of adoption, payment and scale within healthcare systems, and why a credible route to reimbursement can be a critical de-risking factor. The discussion will consider how evidence generation, health economic value, payer needs and market access strategy influence both commercial potential and investor confidence.
16:45 – Closing Remarks