The internet contains a huge amount of semi-structured data \u2013 data which cannot easily be sorted into tables with pre-defined categories, and is therefore difficult to manage. However, researchers at the University of Oxford\u2019s Department of Computer Science have developed methods to manage and exploit this type of data.
\n \n\n \n \nResearch through the Oxford Photonics Network has led to a wide range of innovative photonic technology, and there is significant potential for industrial exploitation. However, it is difficult for individual research groups to respond at short notice to opportunities that may facilitate impact in the industrial sector. Using EPSRC IAA funding, Professor Martin Booth set up the Optical Systems Engineering Group (OSEG) in the Department of Engineering Science, specifically to address this gap.
\n \n\n \n \nOver half of the 40 drugs withdrawn from the market in the last 40 years have been removed because of unanticipated cardiac effects. Researchers at the University of Oxford\u2019s Department of Computer Science have developed and applied computer modelling software that can predict and explain variation in the effect of drugs on heart tissue in different people.
\n \n\n \n \nResearchers at the University of Oxford\u2019s Department of Chemistry have developed methods for the rapid synthesis of compounds used in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. These compounds feature in the core of several drug candidates currently in phase II and phase III clinical trials for various types of cancer.
\n \n\n \n \nThe Nuclear National Laboratory (NNL) is the national laboratory tasked with underpinning the science base that supports civil nuclear power in the UK. Their capability in this role was expanded by the transfer of skills by Oxford University staff from the Department of Materials.
\n \n\n \n \nIt is increasingly important for researchers to be entrepreneurial \u2013 not just in order to start a business or a spin-out company, but so that they can \u2018think outside the box\u2019 and take advantage of opportunities to exploit the impact of their research in creative ways. EPSRC IAA funding was used to conduct a short project to better understand the barriers to enterprise training for doctoral students and early career researchers in the Engineering and Physical sciences at the University of Oxford. The project led directly to the IAA-funded development of the Enterprising Oxford digital portal.
\n \n\n \n \nThe Oxford Robotics Institute (ORI) holds a world leading position in research on all aspects of land-based autonomous vehicles. The transition from research demonstration to early industrial take up needs substantial professional engineering, which cannot be undertaken by research engineers alone. Professor Paul Newman, from Oxford University\u2019s Department of Engineering Science, used EPSRC IAA funding to smooth that transition.
\n \n\n \n \nAntibodies are the key molecules in human immune responses. Currently, the process of engineering antibodies for use in therapeutic drugs involves steps that are costly in time and resources. Professor Charlotte Deane\u2019s group at the University of Oxford\u2019s Department of Statistics have developed a computational platform that can streamline the process.
\n \n\n \n \nNational infrastructure systems (energy, transport, water, waste water and solid waste) form the basis of societies\u2019 economic and social wellbeing, requiring significant human and capital investments. Building infrastructure is a long-term commitment that is difficult to reverse and thus has major implications for sustainability, mitigation of carbon emissions and adaptation to the impacts of climate change. Researchers at the University of Oxford have been working closely with UK government bodies to use models to help inform the government\u2019s investment decisions.
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