UNAIR NEWS – Dr. Purwati FINASIM, a lecturer at the Faculty of Vocational Studies Universitas Airlangga and an expert researcher in Internal Medicine, has been honored with the 2024 Intellectual Property Award. The award was personally presented by the Minister of Law and Human Rights on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at the Shangri-La Hotel in Jakarta.
Receiving this award is a distinct honor for Dr. Purwati as a researcher from UNAIR. She mentioned that the award, assessed by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), recognizes intellectual property registration in the field of Inventive Research.
Research in stem cells
Dr. Purwati explained that most of the research recognized by WIPO, whether in the form of patents or intellectual property rights, falls within the scope of stem cell research. The applications of stem cell research are extensive, ranging from protecting cells to prolong their viability outside the body to treating diabetic wounds.
“Through our research, we have discovered numerous uses for stem cells in advancing Health Research. We are grateful that between 2015 and 2020, we obtained patents and intellectual property rights for a total of thirteen research findings,” she stated.
Dr. Purwati hopes that the innovations in stem cell research will provide significant benefits to those in need. The research has also been commercialized and integrated with private sector partners since 2023.
“I am not fully aware of the criteria used by WIPO for the award assessment. Frankly, the inventor’s rights are exclusive rights granted to the researcher for their specific research focus,” she added.
Challenges as researcher
Dr. Purwati revealed several challenges faced during the research process, including funding, commercialization, regulatory adjustments, and marketing to ensure that the research results are known to the public.
“I am grateful to UNAIR for providing facilities and even funding to sustain this research. As a researcher, I hope that more collaborations with relevant parties will lead to successful research outcomes,” she remarked.
Dr. Purwati offered advice to all UNAIR researchers to document their lab findings meticulously. Receiving an award is a bonus for a researcher. “To achieve such recognition, researchers should persistently register their research for patents and intellectual property rights,” she concluded.
Author: M. Akmal Syawal
Editor : Khefti Al Mawalia
