Carmel, the application company of the University of Haifa established "Carmel Biotech" - a company for the commercial realization of the research and development products of the Institute of Evolution of the University of Haifa
Carmel, the application company of the University of Haifa established "Carmel Biotech" - a company for the commercial realization of the research and development products of the Institute of Evolution of the University of Haifa. Among the institute's researches: genetic cloning to create more nutritious and resistant varieties of wheat; Understanding the survival mechanisms for low oxygen percentages of the blind rat; Using mushrooms to fight cancer and more.
"Carmel Biotech" was founded this year by a group of private entrepreneurs and Carmel - the economic society of the University of Haifa. The scientific council of the society is headed by Prof. Avitar Nevo, who founded the Institute of Evolution at the University of Haifa and headed it for years. The CEO of the company Ron Mahler said that "Biotech" already enjoys great interest from companies and parties interested in scientific and business cooperation. Haifa University President Prof. Aharon Ben Ze'ev expressed hope that the new company will be able to leverage the academic research carried out in the university's fields in business directions.
Among the research products of the Evolution Institute: the development of food supplements from medical mushrooms for the treatment of cancer and AIDS patients; Using the genes of a blind rat living underground in an environment of only 2-3% oxygen to treat cancer and heart disease patients; Development of ethanol - green fuel produced from industrial agricultural waste - using green technology; Growing algae to improve wastewater and turn it into water suitable for irrigating agricultural fields and parks without environmental pollution and more.
One response
This is probably a welcome development.
On the one hand, the knowledge is commercialized, thereby raising conflicting interests for knowledge sharing.
On the other hand, this leaves money from an internal source for obtaining (and sharing) more knowledge, as opposed to external self-interested funding, which limits the scope and sharing of knowledge.