Medicine, University of Southampton

Our strong enterprise agenda is embedded across everything we do and generates millions of pounds as our expert team translates innovative ideas and technologies into commercial successes.

We continually look at ways to expand these business activities by building partnerships with industry, creating independent companies, providing services such as consultancy or policy advice, and realising the financial benefits of our research.

Here in Medicine we have a strong history of collaborating with industry's leading pharmaceutical companies; major players in nutrition and healthcare; and biotechnology companies, including Merck, Philips, GlaxoSmithKline and Lilly - to  name a few. Together we are at the forefront of key issues such as tissue engineering, vaccines and nutrition, and are delivering research and innovation that is having an impact on health worldwide.

It is through business partnerships such as these that we generate around 40 per cent of our £23 million research income and we are fully committed to increasing this by continuing to develop enterprise in all areas of our work.

We are proud that five of the University of Southampton's 12 spin-out companies are based within Medicine. These flourishing companies are key players in the improvement of healthcare and are investigating issues such as:

• The development of drugs to treat disorders of the central nervous system and the treatment of lung diseases
• Creating diagnostic testing, screening and the production of a vaccine for liver disease
• Producing innovative drugs to treat immune/inflammatory disorders and cancers
• How the regulation of genes can lead to improved animal and human health

But we are determined that our commercial success will go from strength to strength as our highly-experienced team drives our enterprise agenda forward.

We have appointed five dedicated business fellows who are successfully showcasing work by fellow academics and generating significant income from industrial partners. Together with the support from Medicine's dynamic team of academics and students they will continue to share their expertise with business and organisations across the globe.