Manuela Cirilli from CERN, “Academia Meets Industry: Intellectual Property, Communication, Managing Expectations,” highlighted the symbiotic relationship between academic research and industrial application. Cirilli emphasized the importance of mutual benefits in such collaborations, specifically through the lens of technology transfer to achieve public good and stimulate economic growth. Intellectual Property (IP) rights play a crucial role in protecting and enabling the transfer of academic inventions to the marketplace, thus fostering innovation and generating revenue to reinvest in research.

Cirilli also addressed the principles of Open Science under Horizon Europe, stressing the need for openness in research while protecting legitimate commercial interests. She showcased the HITRIplus project, a successful example of academic-industry partnership, involving technology transfer offices from CERN, GSI, and INFN. The project focuses on identifying commercial opportunities for novel technologies and fostering strategic partnerships and co-development.

The speaker also highlighted the ongoing activities of the project, which include identifying key industrial players in Heavy Ion Therapy, conducting market studies, and advising on the usage of technology transfer tools. Cirilli concluded with the project’s achievements, noting the identification of 12 HITRIplus technologies, progress in MoU negotiations with two companies, and expressed interest from 18 companies, demonstrating the impactful engagement between academia and industry in the advancement of medical technology.