Between the 15-20th of June HALRIC was represented at three different EU related events and even if they were quite different, it was clear that collaboration and critical mass make a difference and are key drivers for development related to life sciences.
On the 15th of June HALRIC project director, Kajsa Paulsson, Lund University (HALRIC lead partner), and Petter Hartman, CEO at Medicon Village Innovation, teamed up at the Clusters Meet Regions workshop to represent the life science and health sector and present a case on how to turn policy into practice. Several speakers addressed the importance of the capabilities at the research infrastructures, and overall, it was discussed how clusters act as boosters of innovation in industrial ecosystems. The two-day event was organized by the European Cluster Collaboration Platform on behalf of the European Commission in partnership with Region Skåne and others.
Only an hour later the 15th of June, Mette Bach Dyremose, HALRIC’s Head of coms and industry outreach, jumped on the stage at the Danish democracy festival ‘Folkemødet’ on the island of Bornholm. Mette ‘pitched’ HALRIC at the event organized by Interreg Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak (ÖKS) to showcase projects funded by their 2023-26 program. Two days later, on the 17th of June Medicon Valley Alliance gathered a panel to discuss the value of cross-border collaboration and how projects such as HALRIC contribute to life science innovation. One of HALRIC’s CBIR Ambassadors, Jakob Øster, explained why collaboration across countries and disciplines is necessary to use the full potential of the research infrastructures and why the Interreg ÖKS program is ideal to support this. Here you can find further reflections and pictures from Anette Steenberg, CEO at Medicon Valley Alliance, who is also member of HALRIC’s Joint-Steering-Committee.
The featuring of HALRIC in an EU-context ended at a very high note, when Erik Renström, Vice-Chancellor at Lund University, highlighted the project as an example of strategic investment, excellence, and capacity building. He did so during the welcome address at the conference on the 19-20th of June: ‘The potential of research data – how research infrastructures support new opportunities and benefits for the society’. Erik Renström further said: “Let’s not forget that we have so much going for us.. Not far from us here in Lund we have the world’s first 4th generation synchrotron facility (MAX IV) – and the joint-venture in neutron science (ESS). These two giant microscopes open new avenues for innovation in material science and life sciences – in collaboration with universities, private enterprises and science parks throughout the Nordics and down to mainland Europe …. The Hanseatic Life Science Research Infrastructure Consortium (HALRIC) aims for triple helix innovation with German, Norwegian, Danish and Swedish partners and more are welcome!”
You can view the recording from the conference, which was organized by the Swedish Research Council and Vinnova in support of the Swedish EU Presidency. The presidency has research infrastructures as one of its main priorities – including the handling of data and access for researchers, businesses, and society at large. The conference was opened by Mats Persson, the Swedish Minister of Education who also announced the publication of the Lund Declaration on Maximising the Benefits of Research Data.