Health researchers innovate with Croda International
Researchers from Liverpool John Moores University are seeking to develop new products for the hair, skin and beauty industry.
The team of bioscience, chemistry, computer science, sociology and public engagement experts from the university's Institute for Health Research, has linked up with industry to exploit the potential for new and protected products and to explore projects aimed at advancing sustainable innovation.
The researchers met with industrial partners Croda International at their Selby site in Yorkshire under the auspices of a Higher Education Innovation Fund initiative to drive cross-sector collaboration.
LJMU is working alongside Croda Europe Ltd/Sederma, the University of Liverpool, University of York and Cardiff University in a strategic partnership to leverage expertise in dermatology, ageing bioscience and machine-learning to create and exploit new opportunities in the hair, skin and beauty industry.
The LJMU delegation included Dr Kehinde Ross from the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Tracy Branagan, a Patient and Public Engagement Researcher, Dr Sud Sudirman from the School of Computer Science and Mathematics and Dr Ildus Akhmetov from the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences.
Dr Kehinde Ross, a Reader in Molecular and Cellular Biology, and expert in skin disorders, said: “Working with industry leaders like Croda strengthens our research impact and aligns with LJMU’s commitment to innovation and sustainability. By combining our academic expertise with Croda’s industrial expertise, we can drive meaningful change for the global good.”
The team is incorporating best practice guidance on partnership working into the project, based on components of the current LJMU/NCCPE Engage programme.
'By combining our academic expertise with Croda’s industrial expertise, we can drive meaningful change for the global good' - Dr Kehinde Ross
Tracy Branagan said: “A key focus of the meeting was to establish our strategic directions, mutual benefits, shared goals and challenges, which identified the wide range of currently available opportunities for collaboration and some of the barriers to successful engagement."
Croda is a leading global specialty chemicals company and has more than 50 active Open Innovation Partnerships, spanning a variety of topics including small molecule, protein and nucleic acid delivery, consumer care applications, and seed enhancement and crop protection. Such partnerships provide access to expertise, equipment and funding, opportunities to evaluate emerging and potentially disruptive technologies and access the latest in analytical equipment to develop new test methods and generate new data.
Importantly, they’re designed to foster collaborations that are not only mutually beneficial but also aligned with the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals.
For further information about the project or to join the hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) volunteer researcher group we are setting up please contact Kehinde Ross o.k.ross@ljmu.ac.uk or Tracy Branagan t.d.branagan@ljmu.ac.uk
IMAGE: Ildus Akhmetov, Sarah Davidson, Tracy Branagan, Kehinde Ross, Sud Sudirman
