Lars von Borcke
Business Development Manager
Introduction to PBL &
Nitrate Sensors
www.pbltechnology.com
Managing Innovation across the Biosciences
• Founded 1994 by John Innes Centre and Gatsby Foundation
• Since 2004, equally owned by JIC, TSL, BBSRC
• Protect and commercialise public innovations
• Social and Economic Impact from academic research
• Broad life science expertise :
• plants but also microbes, animals, food, biotech/pharma
Business Model :
invest time, money and reputation
in return for
a share in commercial revenues that we create
www.pbltechnology.com
PBL Activities
 Identify, assess and protect academic IP
 Fund and manage patent prosecution
 Invest in, and help manage, Technology Development
 Market technology to commercial development partners
 Conclude and monitor licences for commercial exploitation
www.pbltechnology.com
PBL Technology Portfolio by Origin
www.pbltechnology.com
PBL Technology Portfolio some examples
 Jasmonic acid seed treatment
 Beneforte Broccoli
 siRNA gene silencing
 HT-CPMV protein expression
 GM Traits:
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Late blight resistance
Abiotic stress
Deelopment and yield
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High oleic acid oilseed
Pod shatter resistance oilseed
 Germplasm
 Potato sprouting detection
www.pbltechnology.com
Working together
 Accessible and responsive : phone or email, no
forms
 Quick and early advice
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What’s worth “doing” (and what’s not)
Value adding work, and getting it done/funded
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Priority
PCT
Later examination
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Anticipates new items
Regular dialogue
 Patent draft
 Ongoing relationship/portfolio
www.pbltechnology.com
Nitrate – the issues
Nitrogen of prime importance (120m tonnes $40bn)
Yield: nutrients are limiting
Nitrogen overuse of up to 60%
Cost in EU up to Euro 300bn
Cost: Winter wheat $248/ha
www.pbltechnology.com
In-soil nitrate sensors : Precision Agriculture
Tony Miller
www.pbltechnology.com
Measuring over a whole growing season of
wheat (12 months)
rainfall and soil moisture measurements
Soil moisture measurements at 4 different depths
Rainfall
www.pbltechnology.com
Measuring over a whole growing season of
wheat (12 months)
in-soil nitrate measurements
Soil moisture measurements at 4 different depths
Nitrate measurements at 3 different depths
Rainfall
www.pbltechnology.com
www.pbltechnology.com
www.pbltechnology.com