Meet the New Innovators Shaping the Future

The University of Dundee has a long-established reputation for innovation and entrepreneurship with life-changing technologies and global spinouts forming from the ideas of our research community. This excellence has been recognised many times and in the past 12 months has garnered the University three awards! These have been Outstanding Entrepreneurial University of the Year (2024 Times Higher Education Awards), Innovative & Entrepreneurial University of the Year (2024 Triple E Awards for Europe), and – just last month – Entrepreneurship Catalyst winner (2025 UK National Enterprise Educators Awards).

Innovation occurs at all stages of people’s careers, with some of our postgraduate community in the School of Life Sciences taking their first steps into entrepreneurship during their studies. Here are some of their stories. 

Ricardo Moreno Ballesteros

Ricardo started his PhD in the MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit in 2021 in the lab of Professor Satpal Virdee. His research has focused on developing chemogenetic tools for induced proximity applications. 

After taking up an opportunity to travel to Singapore in late 2022 for an event to promote entrepreneurship and innovation, Ricardo returned with a completely new perspective of his research. This was the start of his entrepreneurial journey that led to the creation of GenProtex which is developing a synthetic biology platform that accelerates drug discovery by enabling precise induced proximity applications such as targeted protein degradation.

Since then, Ricardo has won multiple awards including the Converge Challenge Kickstart 2023 and leveraged £100k in funding including £75k from Scottish Enterprise through their High Growth Spinout Programme.

How did you come up with your business idea?

“I successfully applied to attend a one-week science event in Singapore. The promotional email didn’t really specify the purpose of it but that it could be an opportunity to build collaborations, outreach and discuss science. Once there I discovered it was an entrepreneurship bootcamp for which my first thought was “I am the wrong person to be here”. I had never in my life considered entrepreneurship as a career option. 

“Talking with people outside my discipline, it was clear I had to learn how to explain what I do in a more accessible manner. My best shot was “I'm trying to bring two proteins together and see if that brings any interesting outcomes that could be potentially therapeutic”. The follow up comment was “That sounds like a platform.” I had only been thinking about the two proteins I was interested in but there was no reason why it couldn’t be used for any other proteins. That created infinite possibilities, potential, and commercial value.”

What opportunities have you undertaken and what skills have you developed because of your entrepreneurial activity?

“I’ve participated in multiple activities since Singapore. To name a few, Venture Dundee 2023, ConceptionX 2023, Converge Challenge 2023, spoken at events across the UK about entrepreneurship, became an Ambassador for SULSA “Forging Futures Scheme” in Dundee and helped found the EdenTay Community for early stage researchers.

“Along the way, I’ve had opportunities I never thought possible such as meeting 1-on-1 with leading figures. Locally, Paul Davies, Mike Ferguson, Philip Cohen, Alessio Ciulli, as well as investors from the UK, Europe, Singapore, and the US, alongside CEOs of biotechs and CROs. These interactions have been invaluable in shaping my outlook and ambitions.

“I’ve learnt skills in team management, networking, grant funding, budget management, the value of novel technologies, and even my own value. Entrepreneurship has redefined the way I pursue science. It’s pushed me to look at the bigger picture: What is the real benefit of my research? Of others’ work? Why does it matter? While fundamental science remains essential, entrepreneurship has given me the perspective and ambition to ask how projects can make a difference to patients, to communities, to society.”

How has being in Dundee provided you with opportunities (at the University and more widely)?

“I strongly believe this could only have happened in Dundee. The environment here has been the perfect place for me to grow. This includes the direct encouragement of people like Brian McNicoll (Head of the Centre for Entrepreneurship at Dundee), Chris Smyth (Head of Enterprise Education), Elaine Kearney (Venture Creation Manager) and Claudia Cavalluzzo (ex-Director of Converge). You need people that advocate for you. This is not a journey that you do alone.

“My work uses my expertise to lead a brand-new way to do drug discovery combining genetics and chemistry. I’m proud to share Dundee’s story when I travel—its potential, its people, and the exciting future it’s building. Dundee has always been there for me.

“My journey, and what lies ahead, also wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my supervisor, Satpal Virdee. His guidance has meant a lot to me personally. Having people who support you makes all the difference, and I feel very fortunate to have that here in Dundee.” 

The future - where do you see your business/innovation going in the coming years? 

“We are working very hard to showcase the value of the platform and gain further funding to continue progressing GenProtex. In the longer term, I want to spin out the company and keep it in Dundee. The expertise is in this city, and I want to grow it here. I want GenProtex to become a reference on induced proximity applications for therapeutics but that also fosters continuous innovation. If the sky is the limit, I genuinely believe we have a platform, upcoming platforms, and expertise that can become a significant player in drug discovery.”

Do you have advice for other PhD/Masters students who may have an innovation/business idea?

“Talk about it with as many people as you can. To assess if an idea is good, you need feedback. Ideally, make sure the idea is within your expertise. Find people few steps ahead of you. Ask them what they did, learn from them. Ask for help. Ask for support. Plan. Align interests. My PhD project evolved into my business idea. My project aligns with the lab’s interests, with my PIs research. Work within your discipline, identify problems, limitations. Do you have a way to do something better? Understand how unique, translational, and wide it can be. Find the value in your own work. Find people that mean well for you and can open doors for you. Progress will only happen as long as you keep trying. If I can help, reach me out. I’m always keen to help.”

Dr Peter E. G. F. Ibrahim 

Peter started his Wellcome Trust-funded PhD in the University of Dundee’s Drug Discovery Unit in 2021 and graduated this summer. His research focused on advancing in-silico fragment-based drug discovery, leading to the development of FraGrow. 

FraGrow is an integrated AI/QM platform that combines quantum mechanics, molecular modelling, and machine learning. This enables automated fragment growing, binding prediction, and lead optimisation for novel therapeutic candidates. It has the potential to transform early-stage research by allowing scientists and biotech companies to design and optimise therapeutics with unprecedented speed and accuracy. 

His innovative approach has already gained recognition. Peter has won multiple prizes, including poster and oral communication awards at international conferences, including McGhee’s Award in February 2024 and secured more than £25k in funding to advance his venture. 

How did you come up with your business idea? 

“During my PhD research, I recognized a critical gap between the sophisticated computational tools developed in academia and their limited adoption in pharmaceutical and biotech industries due to usability, scalability, and integration challenges. This insight inspired me to design a next-generation platform that transforms these advanced methods into accessible, high-performance, and industry-ready solutions, enabling seamless translation from academic innovation to real-world drug discovery applications.” 

What opportunities have you undertaken and what skills have you developed because of your entrepreneurial activity? 

“I have actively engaged in entrepreneurship workshops at the Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Dundee, participated in innovation accelerators, and attended high-impact networking events. Additionally, I have presented my research at multiple international conferences through both oral presentations and posters, highlighting the scientific innovation and translational potential of my work. These experiences have significantly strengthened my skills in business strategy, pitching, leadership, scientific communication, and project management, equipping me with a versatile skill set that bridges advanced research with entrepreneurial execution.” 

How has being in Dundee provided you with opportunities (at the University and more widely)? 

“The University of Dundee has provided a unique ecosystem combining world-class research facilities, entrepreneurial training, and strong connections with the thriving local life sciences and biotech community. Through innovation accelerators, mentorship programs, and access to experienced entrepreneurs and investors, I have been able to refine my business idea and gain critical insights into commercializing scientific innovation. Dundee’s collaborative culture, combined with its reputation as a hub for life sciences innovation in the UK, has created opportunities to build networks and partnerships that have been instrumental in shaping both my research and entrepreneurial journey.” 

The future - where do you see your business/innovation going in the coming years? 

“My vision is to evolve the platform into a fully integrated, AI-driven drug discovery suite that combines quantum simulations, generative AI, and cheminformatics for accelerated therapeutic design. In the coming years, I aim to expand the platform’s capabilities, attract global academic and industry users, and establish strategic collaborations with leading biotech and pharmaceutical companies. The long-term goal is to transform the early-stage drug discovery process, making cutting-edge computational tools accessible, scalable, and impactful for real-world drug development pipelines.” 

Do you have advice for other postgraduate students who may have an innovation/business idea? 

“Start small but think globally. Validate your idea early by engaging with mentors, potential users, and industry experts to understand the real-world challenges your innovation can address. Take full advantage of entrepreneurial workshops, accelerators, and funding opportunities offered by your university and beyond. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to iterate and adapt your idea based on feedback-the ability to pivot and refine your concept is as valuable as the idea itself.” 

Supervisors: Prof. Michael J. Bodkin, Prof. Ulrich Zachariae, and Prof. Ian H. Gilbert. 

Mentor: Prof. Michael Ferguson. 

Learn more about Innovation Week 2025: 

https://innovationweek.campaign.gov.scot/