Research Spinouts

Ovarian Monitor

The Ovarian Monitor is a point-of-care device for the measurement of urinary levels of two hormonal markers of the fertile period. Details will be posted on the revamped Ovarian Monitor web-site.

Creative Diagnostics Research Laboratory

A laboratory that seeks to develop and commercially exploit diagnostic tests has been established between MBIL, SHL and Massey University. Two spin-off companies (MBIL) and (SHL) have been formed to monitor a diverse range of urinary steroid glucuronides as point-of-care tests for important biomarkers for health and disease.

One of these companies, Manawatu Biotech Investments Ltd (MBIL) is essentially the commercial arm of the enterprise and is developing point-of-care tests for the biomarkers that define the potentially fertile period in women.

The second company Science Haven Limited (SHL) is effectively the research engine that helps to develop new tests for commercialization. Three new point-of-care tests for medical conditions are under development currently.

Under the agreement Massey University provides a collaborative research network and access to scientific equipment and expertise. Joint research projects leading to commericalisation are being developed.

Len Blackwell is an honorary research fellow in IFS and chief scientist for the two companies.

ANZODE (NZ) Ltd

Zinc (Zn) has long been considered an ideal battery electrode having high energy and power, being plentiful yet benign, with a low cost to produce. Zinc has had widespread use in single use batteries.

Zinc has never before been successfully commercialized as a rechargeable battery. Associated problems include low cycle life, the chemistry self discharges after few cycles, dendrites and shape change.

Anzode has solved these problems. The batteries were developed at Massey University, and are now patented in 30 countries and territories worldwide.

Simon Hall has been Chief Scientist during their development.

Cellulosic Ion Exchangers

Tough and long lasting ion exchangers with high capacity for protein were developed at Massey University in the 1980s. They have been in commercial production for 25 years using patented and confidential know-how. They are produced by Invitrogen (NZ) Ltd under continuing license agreements with the University and are marketed world wide. They are particularly suited to large scale industrial use (see below).

John Ayers is the Principal Inventor and Massey contact.

Whey Protein Isolate (WPI)

The industrial recovery of high purity protein (WPI) from cheese whey became a commercial reality with the advent of the ion exchangers described above.

Research into ways of isolating specific proteins from whey, such as GMP, alpha-lactalbumin and immunoglobulins, as well as the production WPI, lead to the successful patenting of several new processes for whey.

WPI is now produced by the NZ dairy industry under license agreements with Massey University using more efficient and novel processes. The research and development was carried out in collaboration with Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd.

John Ayers is the Principal Inventor and Massey contact.

Magritek

Magritek is a science and technology company creating innovative products in the field of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). This is a joint venture between Massey and Victoria Univetrsities and is the result of a FRST funded research program on New NMR Technologies. We are developing mobile and industrial NMR solutions.

Robin Dykstra, a former staff member of IFS (left 2008), is one of the original inventors.

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