11/07/2012

Dr. Simó Schwartz, coordinator of the Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Research Centre for Nanomedicine–CIBBIM- at Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR). Dr. Schwartz' participated on July 10th in the Nanotechnology for Healthcare Forum, meeting organized by Biocat and UK Trade & Investment-British Consulate General, geared towards companies, research centers and research groups from Catalonia and the United Kingdom in order to promote new business opportunities and future collaborations between these two countries in the nanotechnology for health arena. The event will be held under the framework of the BioNanoMed Catalonia Alliance and with collaboration from the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), the Nano KTN (Knowledge Transfer Network) and the Barcelona Science Park (PCB).The United Kingdom is one of the three leading countries in the world in health-related nanotechnology, according to Ernst & Young, and the key areas of the healthcare sector are drug delivery and formulation, diagnostics, medical materials and implants, and analytical tools. Regarding Catalonia, nanobiomedicine has become one of the region’s research strengths, and Barcelona is ranked second in the world for scientific publications in this discipline after Boston (according to data from the United States National Library of Medicine, PubMed).The opening session featured Andrew Gwatkin, British Consul General in Barcelona, and Jessica Griffiths, Life Sciences Lead and Senior Trade and Investment Advisor of UK Trade & Investment for Catalonia, Aragón, the Balearic Islands and Andorra.The presentation waw given by Carlos Lurigados, project director in the Biocat Innovation Department. Afterwards, there were lectures: An overview of UK Life sciences, internationalising your business via expansion to the UK, by Jon Mowles, UKTI Life Sciences Specialist, Nanotechnology for Healthcare in the UK, by Mike Fisher, Theme Manager Healthcare & Life Sciences at NanoKTN, and Nanotechnology for Healthcare in Catalonia, by Josep Samitier, associate director of the IBEC.After that, nine companies and research groups presented breakthroughs in this field and its needs in terms of investment and collaboration. Participants from the United Kingdom were: Molecular Profiles, Cels, Xenogesis Ltd and Swansea Centre for NanoHealth. From Catalonia, participants were CIBBIM from VHIR and Lykera/Leitat, Aromics, GP-Pharm and Catalan Institute of Nanotechnology (ICN).