The Neuron Club connected scientists, transfer specialists and business

The best examples from practice, advice, experience and above all an active connection between the worlds of science and business. That was the autumn Neuron Club, held at the Obelisk winery in Valtice. Twenty guests spent two days discussing science transfer — using scientific discoveries in cooperation with business so that they serve as many people as possible.

"The Neuron Club on transfer superbly connected two of the Neuron Foundation's key themes — being a platform for science and business to meet, and showing inspiring paths on which the two worlds find a common language," says the chair of the Neuron Foundation's board Monika Vondráková. "I greatly appreciate that both Neuron Award laureates and representatives of academic business and our patrons joined us. It was two days of intensive lectures, discussions and opinions. And also of good wine, good food and beautiful countryside."

The programme blocks were moderated by Jaroslav Řasa, a supporter of the Neuron Foundation, and the director of IOCB Tech Martin Fusek.

The first part of the Neuron Club was devoted to transfer as a global phenomenon with a long history that is becoming a great challenge for Czech science. The legislative options for transfers, their integration into academia and communication between science and business were all discussed.

The academic spin-off CasInvent Pharma, which won the Neuron Award for exceptional connection of science and business this year, was presented by the scientist Vítězslav Bryja and the transfer specialist Radoslav Trautmann. The work of the biotechnology company Sotio, part of the PPF group, was discussed by its director Radek Špíšek, who is also a laureate of the Neuron Award in medicine.

In the second part of the debate the participants turned to a more general assessment of transfer in the Czech setting, and the trio Antonín Holý – John C. Martin – Erik De Clercq was often recalled as a good example of domestic cooperation with the wider world. (Their story gave rise to the Dejvice Theatre production Elegance of the Molecule, which the Neuron Foundation supported.)

The Neuron Club took place on 10 and 11 November 2021 at the Obelisk winery in Valtice. Thank you for the hospitality, and thank you too to the Neuron Foundation's partner, the investment company Accredio, for supporting our meeting.

THANK YOU TO THE PATRONS AND PARTNERS OF THE NEURON FOUNDATION AND THE NEURON AWARDS