UCL Enterprise Awards 2013 - Video

The UCL Awards for Enterprise celebrate the success of UCL's enterprising community – committed to excellence, innovation, impact and wealth for UCL and for the benefit of the UK.

Professor Pete Coffey has been given this award in recognition of his efforts with the London Project - a research programme that aims to develop a cell therapy for Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). It is hoped that this will prevent blindness, restore sight and improve sufferers’ quality of life. In particular, the award recognises the work secured with Pfizer to develop treatments for AMD.

Professor of Optical Communications and Networks, UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering Professor Polina Bayvel is the head of the optical Networks Group in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering and has been instrumental in working in partnership with Huawei Technologies to explore how to develop better high-speed optical communications and solve problems relating to computer networking. To date, funding from Huawei to UCL has exceeded £500,000. We expect the UCL-Huawei collaboration to grow from strength to strength, helping to achieve UCL’s ambitions in increasing knowledge transfer and supporting Huawei’s R&D efforts in next-generation optical systems.

Mapping for Change is one of the first successful social enterprises developed from the research and community development, public engagement projects conducted at UCL. Its vision is to promote a future in which communities are empowered, sustainable and resilient. People involved can make a difference to their local area through the use of mapping and the applications of geographical information .They offer participatory mapping services to voluntary & community organisations, business organisation or government bodies. Mapping for Change has not only demonstrated an innovative model of social enterprise but also a brilliant example of citizen science - science is by the people and for the people. More importantly, by sharing their experiences and knowledge, Mapping for Change has inspired and helped many UCL members of staff and students and people outside UCL to take on the challenges and opportunities of social enterprise as an important way to contribute to wider society.

Cameron Nichol: Undergraduate Medical Student, UCL and Elite Athlete at GB Rowing Team, Daniel Sinitsky: General Surgeon, London Deanery, Pasquale Berlingieri: Gynaecologist, Royal Free/UCL) Disepra solves the problem of surgeons having to train by practising on real patients! Disepra is a training organisation aiming to globally revolutionise the way laparoscopic appendicectomies are taught. This will be done by creating the world’s first scientifically validated training curriculum for the laparoscopic appendicectomy using high-fidelity virtually reality simulation.