Dundee Student Team take Biotechnology gong

A team of aspiring biotechnology entrepreneurs from the University of Dundee have scooped two prizes at the Biotechnology Young Entrepreneurs Scheme (YES) 2012 in London.

The team behind the BioVita company idea won the prizes for:

• Best food sponsored by Leatherhead Food Research – BioVita, University of Dundee

and

• Best presenter sponsored by University of Nottingham Institute for Enterprise and Innovation – Alistair Davies from BioVita, University of Dundee

The Dundee team designed and produced a specialised plastic film which prevents the over-ripening of fruit on the supermarket shelf. The film functions by scavenging the plant hormone ethylene which is responsible for the fruit ripening process. Effective removal of ethylene from fruit packaging can successfully extend the shelf-life of fruit in the supermarket.

“The BioYes competition has been a fantastic experience to be involved with and has seen us nurture our initial idea and come up with a defendable and very strong business model throughout the competition,” said Alistair Davies, who was joined in the team by Dun Jack Fu, Anna Kelner, Eleni Karinou and Alexander von Wilamowitz-Moellendorf. All are PhD students at Dundee.

Alistair added, “I think I speak for all members of the team when I say that the experience has been highly rewarding and has really opened up our eyes to a career outside of academic research.”

The annual contest is co-organised by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the University of Nottingham Institute for Enterprise and Innovation (UNIEI).

Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts said, “The participants in this competition have shown that there is a bright future ahead for biological science. This is one of the most vibrant and increasingly important sectors of the UK. They are developing the skills needed to translate world class research into wider economic and social benefits."

The main prize was won by a team from the University of Cambridge for their `Calvitium Solutions’ project.