First version of the DDLS Strategy launched

A first version of the DDLS strategy is now available for feedback. Long-term strategies will be discussed and evolved during the open event “The future of life science is data-driven – DDLS update and strategy” that will take place in September.

The practice of life science is continuously becoming more data-dependent. The amount and complexity of data is growing exponentially, and more scientific discoveries are enabled when data is openly available to researchers across the world. This is the basis for the SciLifeLab and Wallenberg National Program on Data-Driven Life Science (DDLS). The 12-year 3,1 Billion SEK DDLS program funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation was announced in late 2020. SciLifeLab, as the main host, is working with the eleven participating organizations (ten universities and the Swedish Museum of Natural History, NRM) to formulate a long-term strategy for the program.

The first version of the DDLS strategy is now publicly available; a document that has been developed by the DDLS steering group with input from the funder and the 11 participating organizations (Chalmers, GU, KI, KTH, LiU, LU, NRM, SLU, SU, UmU and UU) during the first active months of the program.

We now invite collaborators, the Swedish life science research community, industry and healthcare as well as other stakeholders in the society at large, to provide their views on the strategy.

“We believe that this program requires a joint long-term strategy to succeed on its ambitions and create synergistic benefits for the entire life science ecosystem. This is why we invite all program stakeholders to provide their views on the strategy. Based on contributions and feedback, a revised and final long-term strategy for DDLS program will be developed and published early 2022” says Olli Kallioniemi, Director of the DDLS program

The name of the strategy is “The future of life science is data-driven”. Seven objectives (image below) are proposed in the document and they will help to accomplish the mission of accelerating the data-driven life science paradigm in Sweden and thereby promoting Swedish universities acting at the global frontline with eventual impact on every life scientist and the entire society.

The program aims to recruit 39 DDLS fellows as future research leaders of data-driven life science, establish a graduate school for 260 PhD students in academia and industry as well as creating 210 postdoctoral positions in academia and industry. The researchers will be recruited to the participating organizations, enabling them to utilize strong, local research environments. At the same time, they will belong to the national DDLS program, which aims to cultivate a strong community of scientists working with rapidly expanding resources of open data in the life sciences.

The program focuses on data-driven life science research in four strategic research areas: Cell and Molecular Biology, Precision Medicine and Diagnostics, Evolution and Biodiversity and Epidemiology and Infection Biology. Apart from recruitments, the program aims to establish a strong computational and data science base, and enable scientists to better analyse their data and integrate it with the global streams of life science data. The idea is to create a truly national effort and a unique framework for data-driven life science.

Save the date and take the opportunity to shape the future of the DDLS program! On September 14 at 13-15, we invite all stakeholders to an open digital meeting, “The future of life science is data-driven – DDLS update and strategy”, where the DDLS Strategy will be introduced and discussed, also ongoing activities and program achievements so far will be presented. Registration to the event opens in August.

Read more and share your views on the strategy before the event:
DDLS strategy – The future of life science is data-driven