"Nordic health research and Innovation networks - conference"
Monday May 7th 2012
13.00 Main session I: Developing a culture of innovation
Moderator: Anders Haugland
"Developing and maintaining a culture of innovation in an academic research environment"
Throughout the world academic researchers are being urged to consider the social and economic "impact" of their research. Governments believe that this is the way to a new "Knowledge Economy" and to financial stability. Is this good for academic research? Has it changed the way people do research? Is there an inevitable tension between curiosity-driven research and "innovation"? What can universities and other research institutions do to help? These are questions that will be posed - and some perhaps answered - during this talk.
Speaker: David Secher
"Growing pains and pleasures - developing a biotech company"
Money, Money, Money - it is often said that money can solve 9 out of 10 problems! And in establishing a biotech company funding certainly helps, but is only part of the equation. Also critical for success is an original bio-discovery, a robust business plan that can show value creation, and ofcourse the need for talented scientists, state of the art facilities and a network of contacts world wide. At BerGenBio we have benefitted from tremendous support from shareholders and stakeholders, which has allowed us to develop our company to a stage of critical mass, on the brink of significant discovery and milestone achievement. In this presentation I will share some the challenges and successes we have endured and our future out look.
Speaker: Richard Godfrey
"The Nordic TTO health network"
NORTTH: The Nordic Council of Ministers has initiated a Network as a part of their globalization initiative in health and well being. NORTTH seek to bring Nordic Tech Transfer Offices with activities in health together in order to exchange experience, improve processes and increase contacts. We will here learn about this network in particular but also in more general terms about tech transfer efficiency and the importance of collaboration and networking.
Speaker: Henric Rhedin
"Beyond expectation and limits designing for impossible achievements"
Speaker: Hilmar Br Janusson
16.00 Main session II: Nordic collaboration
"Constructing European eCRIN network"
Clinical trials have declined in Europe the last years, including all Nordic countries, and also affecting University Hospitals, UH. The UH are centers of knowledge and important contributors to the present and future treatment of patients. They include both academia and hospital but interface also innovation clusters and industry, particularly SME's. The turning point is the development of new methods in life sciences, which cannot take place without patients and clinical trials. Very few conclusive results can be drawn today from national studies due to few patients, and the researcher physician is hampered by a complicated legislation. By supporting network acting as infra-structure the investigational process is facilitated and doing this on a multinational scale increases the availability of patients. This presentation describes the problem base and different solutions including networks such as ECRIN.
Speaker: Pierre Lafoile
A presentation of a proposal for a collaboration on multisenter clinical trials in the Nordic region, called Nordic Trial Alliance. The aim of the collaboration is to increase the throughput of clinical trials in the Nordic region and to establish support systems for clinical trials at the Nordic level. The collaboration will be based on a network consisting of the Nordic ECRIN hubs under the Nordforsk board, as well as a broader advisory board. Important tools for the collaboration will be the establishment of a web-portal with a "one-stop shop" for information and to initiate some demonstration clinical trials with participation from the Nordic countries. The Nordic Trial Alliance will be an important infrastructure and a means to strenghten clinical research, innovation and patient access to participate in clinical trials.
Speaker: Maiken Engelstad
"NECT; Nordic Network Early Cancer Trials"
Nordic NECT is a newly established network of experienced clinical research departments with focus on early phase (Phase I-II) of new cancer drugs in the Nordic region. The objective is to ensure patients´ access to investigational therapies, develop "one point entry" for clinical trials and work for a common trial approval for the Nordic countries. A website has already been created with contact information and listings of Phase I and Phase II trials at the different network sites
Speaker: Steinar Aamdal
"The NRC network"
The NRC network has an aim to join together especially the Nordic University Hospitals in a effort to stimulte research by improving the underlying hospital infrastructure. Today there is an increasing focus as well at all other hospitals that at least in Norway should be active as well in research. We were officially registered the fall 2011 as a non-profit organisation. We definitely need a good collaboration with our universities as well to reach our goals. Today there is an increased focus not only at medical but also technological innovation that will have an increasing impact in our conferences in the future. An NRC network can hopefully make us stronger in our common efforts to improve linical research and innovation.
Speaker: Stener Kvinnsland
"The Nordic Monitor network"
At the NRC-conference last year it was decided to establish a more formal network between GCP-monitors in the Nordic Region. Such a network of monitors from several countries working closely together on training, auditing and monitoring of trials using common standards will be unique within the field of academic trials and may strengthen the position of the Nordic Region as a preferred place to conduct clinical trials. Ideas and plans of the Network will be presented.
Speaker: Karin Friis Bach
Discussion
19.00 NRC network welcome meeting by the Nordic Advisory Group
19.45 Dinner