Why SPARK
SPARK was created to capitalize on Stanfords unique resources by removing some of the obstacles inherent in improving research. Obstacles can range from increased competition for federal support for basic research to the need for unique and costly specialized core facilities and services.
New chemical entities and new targets are being discovered at Stanford but are unlikely to be sufficiently advanced to induce interest from industry. In addition, new FDA rules allow small doses of experimental drugs to be tested in humansphase zero: testing target, action and metabolism (not safety or efficacy). Both industry and VCs see the gap in their pipeline and are eager for new opportunities.
SPARK provides the infrastructure to bring investigators involved in translational research together to generate new drugs and treatments. It provides a structured focus for these activities, accelerating the testing of potential benefits derived from scientific discovery. It also helps streamline communication between academia and industry, clarifying the language and assumptions of these sometimes disparate groups.
The program also promotes new ways of thinking about how research can be applied to workable solutions. Its broad base of participants allows new and unique perspectives on projects that may have lost momentum on their original premise. SPARK can help identify failures that may show potential in seemingly unrelated applications, allowing other participants to pick up the pieces of another project.
