On April 20 to 22, an international committee of experts will participate in an online panel meeting as part of an evaluation of SciLifeLab’s infrastructure. The purpose of the evaluation is to ensure that SciLifeLab provides an up-to-date infrastructure with cutting-edge technologies for Swedish researchers. The meeting was originally planned to take place in Stockholm, but as a result of the ongoing corona pandemic, it is instead carried out online through digital tools.

“International evaluations are the fundamental principle for planning the future of SciLifeLab’s infrastructure. It is therefore critical that we carry out this evaluation and not cancel it due to the pandemic”, says Annika Jenmalm Jensen, Infrastructure Director at SciLifeLab.

The ongoing evaluation is the second of its kind, as the first evaluation took place in 2016. The idea is to perform the evaluations every four years as they make up a foundation for further developments of SciLifeLab’s infrastructure.

The evaluation is carried out by a committee consisting of ten international experts, representing life science institutions from around the world. Guided by the committee’s recommendations, SciLifeLab will implement new technology areas, revise unit- and platform structures as well as phase-down technologies no longer significant or suitable as national infrastructure. Changes will be implemented from 2021 and onwards.

In the ongoing evaluation, a number of new potential candidate units across the country are evaluated along with SciLifeLab’s existing units. The committee’s final report is expected by May 8.

“This is a unique occasion, to carry out a high-profile evaluation meeting entirely online. It is important for us at SciLifeLab to ensure full transparency and openness of this process, and there are representatives from our international advisory board as well as over representatives from all Swedish universities joining in as observers at this meeting”, says Olli Kallioniemi, Director at SciLifeLab.