The Defence and Security Accelerator can help you explore new avenues for your Life Sciences research and products
The Life Sciences field holds great potential for innovation in National Security. With advancements in biotechnology and medical research, the UK defence sector is already benefitting from new developments in areas such as bio-engineering, drug discovery and medical countermeasures.
These technologies can be applied to areas such as battlefield wound care and treatment, as well as the development of new protective gear for front line personnel. Additionally, the UK’s strong Life Sciences industry can provide a valuable source of collaboration and expertise for the defence and security sectors.
The UK’s Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) finds innovative ideas from across academia and industry and matches these to national security challenges owned by Defence, the Armed Forces, security organisations and Government departments. For DASA, innovation is the process of getting from an idea to impact, and it works with the innovator every step of the way.
To find these innovative ideas, DASA employs a network of Innovation Partners who are regionally based across the UK and abroad. The Midlands region is represented by two Innovation Partners – Andrew Peaty, based in the West Midlands, and Jas Shanker, in the East Midlands.
Andrew and Jas, alongside 11 other Innovation Partners, act as technology scouts who work closely with local businesses to uncover exceptional ideas with the potential to transform National Security. They also provide advice and guidance to innovators, helping them understand how their technologies may be relevant to Defence and Security, and signposting them to opportunities and users across Government.
The growing interest in Life Sciences to support National Security can be seen in projects funded by DASA in recent years. For instance, one DASA Case Study features Welsh start up, Trauma Simulation, which received three rounds of funding to develop a whole-body training model for trauma care. This has recently been adopted by the MOD to train Combat Medics and Medical Emergency Response Teams.
DASA also has upcoming opportunities for experts in Life Sciences to submit their ideas to solve overarching challenges such as enabling biological sensing on the surface of, or within, aerosol filters; exploring antibody-based explosives testing; and improving the universality or longevity of blood products for use in remote locations.
If you are interested in working with DASA to help improve National Security using Life Science technology, visit the DASA website to find out how to get involved. You can also contact Andrew or Jas, who will be pleased to provide more information on future opportunities and how to work with Government.
Contact: www.gov.uk/dasa