Stockholm to establish world's foremost life science research facilities

In a record collaboration between the public and private sectors, including the City of Stockholm and Stockholm University, the Karolinska/Norra station area of the city is set to become the world's leading centre for life science research. Over SEK 50 billion ($7.3 billion) is to be invested in the area, in the period up to 2025, making it the largest investment ever made in Sweden.

En una colaboración récord entre los sectores público y privado, incluyendo la ciudad de Estocolmo y la Universidad de Estocolmo, el Karolinska / zona de la estación Norra de la ciudad se convertirá en el primer centro mundial de investigación de ciencias de la vida. Más de 50 mil millones de coronas suecas (7,3 millones de euros) se invertirá en la zona, en el período hasta el año 2025, siendo la mayor inversión jamás realizada en Suecia.

At a joint press conference at Haga Forum in Solna, the players behind the Karolinska-Norra station development laid out plans for the transformation of the Norra station area into the world's foremost centre for Life Science research. The foundation Stockholm Science City, which lies behind the initiative, is a collaboration between the City of Stockholm, the town of Solna, Stockholm County Council, the business community, in the form of four private research foundations, and three universities: Karolinska Institutet, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) and Stockholm University.

Investment of over SEK 50 billion
Over 50 billion is to be invested in the Karolinska-North Station area in the period up until 2025, making it the largest investment ever made in Sweden.

"The Stockholm-Uppsala region is already world leading in the field of life sciences. With that as a starting point, we now have the opportunity together with the three internationally prominent universities in Stockholm to develop a unique area in the Karolinska-Norra Station district in one of the research fields of the future," said the Foundation's President Per Unckel, according to the press release from Stockholm Science City.

Already today 60 per cent of Swedish companies in the biotechnology field are based in the Stockholm region (including Uppsala) and the proportion will only increase, according to Per Unckel. The unique blend of research, health care and industry that is to be established in the Karolinska-Norra Station area, will only contribute to an increase in the number of companies

Science for Life Laboratory
Per Unckel highlighted the fact that the Science for Life Laboratory, a collaboration between the Royal Institute of Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, received an additional SEK 100 million within the field of molecular life sciences in the government's investment in strategic research areas.

Those present at the press seminar included representatives of the three universities involved in the development of the Karolinska-Norra Station area: Kåre Bremer, Vice-Chancellor of Stockholm University; Peter Gudmundson, President of the Royal Institute of Technology and Hans Forssberg, Vice President at Karolinska Institutet.

Stockholm University bioinformatics research
Vice-Chancellor Kåre Bremer mentioned the field of bioinformatics as an example of the kind of research conducted at Stockholm University to be included in the Science for Life Laboratory. He also stressed that the Stockholm region has a tremendous resource in the three universities. Professor Bremer noted however that many influential parties, both national and international, do not understand the overall potential that these educational institutions have.

"Our three universities must work more closely in order to gain a larger share of research funding and thereby enhance our overall international competitiveness," said Kåre Bremer.

Fuente: Stockholm University.