A technical gold mine in the Israeli desert

B.G. Negev Technologies and Applications Ltd., the commercial arm of Ben-Gurion, not only leading to the blossoming of the Negev conceived as the prime minister of Israel, David Ben-Gurion. It is also putting the southern desert region on the international map as an important center for applied research.

A project of B.G. Negev involves a BGU researcher has succeeded in creating human monoclonal antibodies that can neutralize the highly contagious virus of smallpox without inducing the dangerous side effects of the existing vaccine.

Another BGN project will reduce the frequency of frequency disturbances wreak havoc on consumer electronic devices.

These and other novel technologies discovered or invented by the university to provide a wide range of BGN products such diverse fields as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical diagnosis or microelectronics. Much of the research and development at the university is conducted in multidisciplinary research centers, including the Institutes for Applied Research, Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Research Center Ben-Gurion, the Institute for Applied Biosciences , and the new Center for Meso and Nanoscale Science and Technology.

"Our job is to serve as a link between industry and academic research," explains Dr. Ora Horovitz, vice president of development in BGN, told ISRAEL21c. Horovitz, a molecular biologist, has eight years related to the development of products before they tackle the job of technology transfer.

"The BG helps university staff to 'translate' their inventions and academic achievement in commercially valuable products. We facilitate technology transfer to existing companies or new startup companies."

A fund of $ 3 million Biotech / Pharm, managed by BGN helps to transfer inventions and innovations from lab to market. In the past three years, two of the eleven funded projects have already been commercialized, and three others are in negotiations. Business relationships of BGN today include relationships with companies such as Teva Israeli and international, Elop, Dead Sea Works, Ares Serono, GE, IBM, Intel, Motorola, Israel Military Industries, Compugen, Nur Macroprinters, Nice, Frutarom, or Estee Lauder .

"The continuous flow of ideas and innovations from the university and students persional provides BGN a gold mine of new business opportunities," said Horovitz.

Israel21c.com