The Imperative of Market Viability/Economic sustainability
In the rapidly evolving field of scientific research, particularly in developing human-based models and methods like organ-on-chip or organoids or AI-based applications, there's an emerging conversation that goes beyond the lab – the necessity of aligning scientific innovation with economic sustainability and end-users’ acceptance.
At FRESCI, this dialogue forms the cornerstone of our approach, emphasizing that while scientific breakthroughs are vital, their success in real-world applications is equally crucial to bring the real impact they are meant for.
The Overlooked Aspects of Scientific Innovation
Traditionally, the pursuit of scientific research, especially in creating human-based models, has been predominantly driven by scientific curiosity and the quest for knowledge. However, this approach often overlooks critical factors such as market needs, user acceptance, scalability, and economic viability.
Those researchers who embark on the journey of innovation without a thorough understanding of the ecosystem, will face to potential setbacks in later stages of commercialization with an important loss of resources.
The Economic and Market Lens
The development of human-based models must be also viewed through an economic and market lens.
End-users’ acceptance is pivotal - a brilliant scientific model holds little value if it doesn't meet the markets or end-users' needs.
For instance, organ-on-a-chip technology, while revolutionary, must align with the requirements and capabilities of its potential users in the biomedical field. Similarly, organoids, as advanced as they are, need to be scalable and economically feasible for widespread adoption.
Scaling and Sustainability: The Business of Science
The scalability of a solution is a testament to its sustainability. Every component, every process involved in the development of human-based models must be sustainable – economically, ethically, and practically.
Moreover, user testing and experience are paramount. Researchers often assume a one-size-fits-all approach; however, not every researcher is equipped to handle new technologies.
This calls for a user-centric design also in NAMs scientific innovations.
The Competitive Ecosystem and Community Necessity
Another aspect often overlooked is the competitive ecosystem. Many researchers fail to analyze the market thoroughly, leading to redundancies or late realization of market saturation. Understanding community necessity is also crucial.
Without this, innovations may end up being repurposed or face hurdles in patenting and application due to lack of regulatory or field-specific knowledge.
FRESCI’s Approach: A Confluence of Science and Business
At FRESCI, we emphasize the importance of variables that are not strictly scientific but pivotally business-oriented.
The science behind our innovations is as crucial as ensuring that they are reproducible, accurate, ethical, and, importantly, commercially viable.
We understand that for a product to be standardized, it must be industrialized – a principle that any research laboratory relying on standardized equipment or reagents can resonate with.
7 Key Variables for Sustainable Human-Based Model Development
To aid researchers and industry stakeholders, here’s a list of variables that at FRESCI we consider essential for building sustainable human-based models and approaches:
Market Demand and User Acceptance: Aligning the model with real world needs and user preferences.
Scalability Potential: Ensuring the model can be produced and used at a scale that is economically viable and can still keep the same scientific and technical specification as your lab proof of concept.
User-Friendliness: Making the technology accessible and easy to use for a range of researchers.
Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to relevant regulations and ethical standards.
Cost-Effectiveness: Balancing advanced scientific outcomes with financial feasibility.
Ethical Considerations: Upholding ethical standards in scientific model development.
Standardization and Industrialization Potential: Ensuring the model can be standardized for widespread use.
The intersection of science and market is not just inevitable but essential. As we continue to innovate in fields like organ-on-a-chip and organoids, incorporating these business and market-centric variables from the outset is not just beneficial but necessary for the true fruition of scientific efforts into impactful applications.