Below are a couple of examples of recent case studies which have been developed in partnership with RVC research experts.

Novel Kennel Cough Vaccine Developed by RVC Researchers in an Industrial Collaboration

Kennel cough (canine infectious respiratory disease) is a highly contagious disease. Infected dogs develop a dry hacking cough that can last for several weeks and often requires antibiotic treatment.

A major pharmaceutical company worked in close partnership with RVC researchers to develop a kennel cough vaccine. The company invested over £500,000 in R&D funding and patent expenses.

In July 2008, the company exercised its option to an exclusive licence for the vaccine rights, paying a substantial licence fee, which has been shared with the three named RVC inventors under the RVC's revenue sharing policy.

Core Skills Trainer

The Core Skills Trainer (CST) teaches core skills for clinical work. With the trainer, students learn through a series of haptic computer games, which give users tactile feedback to help their progress.

An industrial partnership was formed by the haptics group at the RVC and SenseGraphics to commercialise the CST. The trainer is primarily targeted towards healthcare students and professionals - principally medical and veterinary undergraduates. It allows students to practice many procedures and examinations at their own pace.

SenseGraphics invested GBP15,000 to the RVC team to progress the CST to final product stage. Their experience with haptic applications, their impressive collaborations with other companies and ability to market and support the CST long-term made SenseGraphics an ideal partner for the RVC. SenseGraphics benefited from the profile of the RVC and its expertise in the haptics field.