National network for future leaders in life science launched by SciLifeLab and Wallenberg Centers for Molecular Medicine
SciLifeLab (Science for Life Laboratory), a national center for biomolecular sciences, and the Wallenberg Centers for Molecular Medicine (WCMM) in Gothenburg, Linköping, Lund and Umeå have formed a collaborative network to bring together the future leaders of life science and molecular medicine in Sweden.
SciLifeLab and WCMM have initiated an official collaboration, co-funded by a 9 million SEK grant from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. The aim is to promote scientific interactions and technological networking among the more than 100 SciLifeLab and WCMM group leaders that are being recruited to the centers. These group leaders have been trained in many of the best universities and laboratories in the world, and represent a major addition of cutting-edge expertise and talent to the Swedish life science sector.
“The ultimate goal is to strengthen the life science and molecular medicine sectors in Sweden by bringing together young talent, thereby creating unique and close collaborations across the universities, the Swedish national life science infrastructures, as well as the health care regions across the country.” says SciLifeLab Director Olli Kallioniemi.
“The program will also form an excellent national meeting place for preclinical and clinical researchers in the WCMM and SciLifeLab programs with the ultimate goal of realizing Swedish translational research from molecule to man.” says Freddy Ståhlberg, Director of WCMM at Lund University.
Within the scope of the collaboration, annual scientific meetings are arranged, giving the opportunity to create a unique and close network across the five sites, the national life science infrastructures, as well as the health care regions across the country. The effort also includes co-funding for joint projects or research visits.
“This is a great opportunity for us all and will support strong collaborative efforts within life science research in Sweden. Gathering the fellows from all four Wallenberg Centers and SciLifeLab in a national network will create a critical mass of interacting top researchers that will strengthen Sweden and ensure growth.” says Göran Landberg, Director of WCMM at University of Gothenburg.
More than 100 young group leaders are being recruited to Sweden in the next few years to work at the SciLifeLab host universities or at the WCMM sites. The SciLifeLab fellows program started in 2014 and currently includes 19 group leaders at Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University, Uppsala University, Chalmers University of Technology and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and additional fellows are being recruited. The WCMM Centers in Gothenburg, Linköping, Lund, and Umeå were initiated during 2015 and have presently recruited over 30 new group leaders all together, and aim to recruit approximately 50 more in the coming years.
“Less than a year ago, I was recruited from Mount Sinai, New York to WCMM at Umeå University. Now I am excited to become part of a nationwide network of fellows in Sweden. For my research, this collaborative network may open up to new collaborations and to the infrastructures SciLifeLab has to offer.” says Francesca Aguilo, a Wallenberg Molecular Medicine Fellow.
About SciLifeLab
SciLifeLab is a national research center within molecular biosciences with focus on health and environment. It is also a national center with the mission to develop, use and provide advanced technologies. The center infrastructure encompasses a multitude of biomolecular technologies and bioinformatics services. National funding makes SciLifeLab’s services and expertise available to researchers in all of Sweden. The center is a joint effort by four Swedish universities (Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University and Uppsala University). The center also collaborates with several other universities. Read more at https://scilifelab.se
About WCMM
The Wallenberg Centers for Molecular Medicine represents a ten-year and more than 800 million SEK investment from KAW encompassing young scientists from the fields of molecular and translational medicine. This recruitment of fellows and associated clinical fellows, specialists in clinical medicine, builds on the KAW national effort to reposition Sweden as a world-leading science nation. The four WCMMs are located at University of Gothenburg, Linköping University, Lund University and Umeå University. Each center also receives additional funding from the universities, regions, hospitals and industry organizations. Read more at http://wcmm.se
About KAW
The Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation supports long-term, free basic research beneficial to Sweden, mainly in medicine, technology, and the natural sciences. This is achieved through long-term grants to excellent researchers and to projects. The foundation also initiates grants to strategic projects and scholarship programs. Read more at http://kaw.wallenberg.org
Contact
Olli Kallioniemi
Director SciLifeLab
olli.kallioniemi@localhost
Phone nr 08-524 823 27 (Susanne Wikblad PA to Olli Kallioniemi)
Göran Landberg
Director WCMM Göteborg
goran.landberg@gu.se
Phone: 031-786 98 73
Stefan Thor
Director WCMM Linköping
stefan.thor@liu.se
Phone: 010-103 57 75
Freddy Ståhlberg
Director WCMM Lund
freddy.stahlberg@med.lu.se
Phone: 046-17 70 30
Tommy Olsson
Director WCMM Umeå
tommy.g.olsson@umu.se
Phone: 090-785 18 45
