Research in bioentrepreneurship
The research area and the research group
Bioentrepreneurship is a multidisciplinary field of research. It combines various theoretical research approaches such as entrepreneurship, innovation, organization, management, strategy, intellectual property, networks, collaboration and product development in the context of life science. The research group at UBE has a deep interest in the different theoretical and practical problems that exist within the Life Science industry and the interface between this industry and academic research and health care.
Unique localization
Karolinska Institutet has a strong tradition of research and innovation in healthcare and medical science. A few examples of innovations born at KI are the purification of insulin and heparin, Sulphasalazin, Antibodies from plasma cells, Seldinger catheter, Pacemaker, Gamma knife and Growth hormone. The localization of the research in bioentrepreneurship at Karolinska Institutet gives a unique possibility to access innovation and entrepreneurship within the life sciences first hand as well as a constant exposure to problems.
Research methods
Methodologically, a wide range of methods are used including longitudinal cases studies, network analysis, bibliometrics, interviews and questionnaires. The researchers work closely with the different actors that constitutes the Life Sciencs Industry, e.g. pharma companies, medical technology companies, biotechnology companies, universities, academic research groups, venture capital firms, governmental organizations, individual entrepreneurs, and industry organizations, both on a national and an international level.
The research at the Unit for Bioentreprenurship is performed in different constellations. Research projects by senior researchers, PhD-candidates and master thesis projects.
UBE's areas of research
Academic knowledge creation
Science and technology is developed/performed in a complex system of interactions and relationships between different actors e.g. researchers, companies, funding bodies, policy makers. At UBE we are studying not only the individual actors but also the system in itself and the way e.g. policies and funding influence the innovation process and the knowledge production.
Transferring research
Researchers in academia contribute to society in more ways than through teaching and publication of research results, but there is a need for a better understanding of these complex processes of innovation. By being located at the core of the empirical data we, at UBE, are able to perform a variety of studies on both formal and informal interaction between researchers, companies and other actors, with the purpose of identifying the wide spectrum of contributions. In-depth case studies allow us to further increase the knowledge about drivers and barriers to commercialisation of science. This includes studies of science based companies in the early stages of developing their first product. The research contributes to a more differentiated view of technology transfer, the triple helix and universities´ contribution to economic growth in a nation.
Intellectual property management
In the last decades, the concept of intellectual property (IP) has been broadened to include business and investment tool besides its traditional legal purpose. Indeed, industry and academia are facing a new reality in terms of how to best integrate and optimize the application of IP to suit the demands of the knowledge economy. At UBE we are interested in the role of IP in the innovation system. Through a combination of patent data and other information sources, we investigate the role of IP in the innovation system and strive to reveal patterns of innovation that cannot be achieved by mere patent count.
Growth drivers and barriers
The life science industry is characterized by long product development times and requires knowledge input from a multitude of actors/contributors. Small and medium sized companies face opportunities that need to be exploited and barriers that need to be overcome to reach the next phase. This implies a constant need of new financing and a continuous search for the right expertise and knowledge to achieve scientific and business objectives. At UBE we study how companies manage the different situations they encounter, at an individual, company and system level. This is done by combining different sources of knowledge, such as case studies, interviews, survey data and databases in order to generate as conclusive results as possible. Through these four areas of research our goal is to contribute with insights to, and being a part of discussions in the academic, policy and industry community.
