Nordic Networks

NETWORKS IN SCANDINAVIA Building Nordic networks

Established bioregions across Scandinavia are increasingly joining forces in an effort to increase their international competitiveness. Paul Smaglik gets connected. UNIV. OULU UNIV.

aina Pihlajaniemi, director of Biocenter Oulu at the University of Oulu in Finland, T travelled thousands of miles to a meeting on angiogenesis at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York this March — only to find herself having lunch with colleagues from neighbouring Sweden and Norway. Between courses, the conversation BIOCENTER OULU turned from the conference Taina Pihlajaniemi is building links for Oulu University. to each scientist’s interest in extracellular matrixes. The More recently, the countries quality of the science. meal ended with a predictable have turned their attention to Pihlajaniemi sees both sides dessert. “We decided to their neighbours, seeking to of the argument. On the plus combine our efforts and apply create formal and informal side, she says, stimulating for European Union funding,” connections with each other, pan-European cooperation is Pihlajaniemi says. The three and with nations beyond positive. “It really forces Scandinavian scientists have Scandinavia — particularly in scientists to try to work since gathered more European the Baltic region. together,” she says. But she is collaborators to seek funding also concerned about the from the European FORCEFUL FRAMEWORK emphasis on research of social Commission’s Sixth Framework relevance and applied research. necessary because networks Programme, which aims to The Sixth Framework She says that she would prefer require a large amount of time award grants to researchers who Programme, which came into an emphasis on basic research and effort from all the parties set up cross-border networks in effect last month, is providing that also fosters collaboration. involved if they are to work. applied research. probably the largest incentive The Sixth Framework issues Without good communication Many other Scandinavian for this outbreak of cross- a challenge to scientists to build and coordination, duplicated researchers find themselves in a border networking. Ideally, it networks from the top down. efforts can trump any benefit similar situation, being driven wants to inspire collaborations But Scandinavian researchers of interacting and waste any together by varying degrees of that involve several partners — are finding success by building gains that might have resulted serendipity, proximity and and wealthier countries are networks from the bottom from sharing resources or necessity. Of these, necessity encouraged to work with up — relying on informal infrastructure. And the broader is perhaps the dominant force. groups from less-developed collaborations as the basis for and more far-flung the network, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and regions. But this focus, along bigger endeavours. They are the greater the challenge. Finland are physically large, but with the emphasis on applied also cementing those extended A core element of one of they have small populations research targeted at specific relationships by having the most ambitious pan- and limited resources. So over social outcomes, has drawn principals from one network Scandinavian initiatives has the past decade, each has built fire from many European sit on the boards of similar informal origins. A loose up research networks within its researchers, who say that endeavours in a similar network coalition among Nordic own borders in an effort to funding decisions should be in a neighbouring country. resource centres for microarray maximize what they have. made solely on the basis of the These machinations are production and analysis

SWEGENE: a spreading network for functional genomics.

emerged out of contacts made contacted by Borg. The end by Ola Myklebost, professor of result is an equal three-way biochemistry at the University partnership to generate a library of Oslo, and Åke Borg, an of 30,000 complementary associate professor in the human DNA probes. oncology department at Lund Now these ties are being University, during their careers. strengthened by MedCoast Both Borg and Myklebost Scandinavia, an initiative from Growth industry: Scandinavia seeks strength in research. were collaborating with a lab at several universities in Sweden the US National Institutes of and Norway that aims to the infrastructure is built. when the emphasis is on Health that specialized in using harmonize efforts between Meanwhile, another fostering links with researchers microarrays for cancer research. Norway’s FUGE and Sweden’s putative player, the Biotech exploring the same questions That technology filtered SWEGENE functional-genomics Research and Innovation from different angles rather through to Oslo and Lund when programmes. Center (BRIC), Denmark’s than on sharing data in formal Myklebost met a Swedish equivalent of FUGE and repositories. That is why contact at a microarray meeting FORM AND FUNCTION SWEGENE, is barely off the Morten Overgaard, a graduate run by the European drawing board. After years of student in the department of Bioinformatics Institute. The Norwegian government discussion, plans for a 27,000- psychology at the University Myklebost was put in touch started FUGE this year with an square-metre research facility of Aarhus in Denmark, formed with Joakim Lundeberg at the initial grant of 100 million that BRIC will share with the the Nordic Network for Royal Institute of Technology kroner (US$13.5 million), University of Copenhagen and Consciousness Studies two years in Stockholm as the central which is set to rise to 150 the Copenhagen Hospital ago. It allows him to interact contact for microarray million kroner in 2003. Corporation have only just with, say, a Finnish philosopher technology within the SWEGENE, meanwhile, gets been approved. But once the on issues of introspection and Wallenberg Consortium North 60 million Swedish kronor initiative is up and running, it first-order consciousness. (see page A19). He contacted (US$6.6 million) a year, from is expected to join MedCoast. Although in this Internet Lundeberg and was, in turn, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Per Belfrage, chairman of the age proximity seems less of Foundation, a Stockholm- Biomedical Center at Lund a concern, it still has its Per Belfrage: establishing based charitable organization University and a member of advantages, and it emphasizes networks takes time. that funds scientific research SWEGENE’s board, sympathizes the informal nature on which and education. Eventually, with the difficulties involved the network was founded. “We MedCoast hopes to collaborate in trying to integrate several have easy mobility for people with Medicon Valley, which projects on different schedules. to visit each other’s labs helps to coordinate research “It takes a long time,” he says. without much planning or activities in Lund, Malmö and A very personal kind of expense,” says Overgaard. Copenhagen (see pages A24 networking is needed to smooth The need to share and A27). those considerations, says Claus infrastructure may be driving One of the challenges faced Braestrup, an executive vice- the Nordic nations together, by MedCoast is the fact that the president at Copenhagen-based but the demand for personnel programmes are at different drug firm Lundbeck, and is making some scientists look stages of development. FUGE chairman of BRIC. To foster to the Baltic. Leaders of several is just starting up, whereas ties with the Swedish shore of Scandinavian networks last SWEGENE began in 2000. MedCoast, he also sits on year formed ScanBalt, which In fact, the Wallenberg SWEGENE’s board and aims to increase mobility for Foundation is likely to stop anticipates that scientists in both scientists between Scandinavia funding SWEGENE in 2005, projects will share resources. and neighbouring countries with the expectation that the Collaborations between such as Poland, Latvia, Estonia, government will take over once several countries are even easier Lithuania and western Russia,

and structural-biology centres Baltimore, Maryland. And in now being developed in October, the Swedish Consulate Scandinavia by FUGE and initiated a joint biotechnology SWEGENE. ScanBalt would venture fund with California ideally match the two. “We can (see “On the road to make some of the infrastructure California”, page A9). and some of the advanced In Finland, the University research equipment available of Kuopio is actively seeking to researchers in the east,” international partners. A says Diderichsen. delegation recently returned The tricky part will be from Minnesota, where it promoting a flow of talent to reactivated an agreement to Scandinavia without exploiting exchange students, researchers it. “We are opposed to any and teachers between Kuopio notion of a brain drain in the and the University of Baltic regions,” he says. Instead, Minnesota. he would like to see a Such free exchange of circulation of talent. One way research is benefiting all of the to do that would be to create scientists involved. When, in Finn-Medi Centre part of Finland’s fresh impetus in R&D. a ScanBalt University in the 1996, Howy Jacobs left the Baltics, perhaps in Poland, United Kingdom for a post especially St Petersburg. Baltic countries have a which could be staffed by at the Institute of Medical Børge Diderichsen, a vice- tradition of good training in scientists from both regions. Technology at the University president at Danish drug firm many of what he calls the of Tampere, he was more Novo Nordisk in Bagsværd and “traditional skills” in the hard BROAD CONNECTIONS enamoured with Finland’s vice-chairman of ScanBalt, sciences — mathematics, commitment to science predicts that over the next four physics and chemistry. Those Another initiative has already funding (see “Finnish envy”, years there will be a shortage skills are in demand in much of begun making similar left) than he was with the idea of potentially hundreds of the Western world, with fewer arrangements, but on a smaller of building collaborations — scientists, given the growth of students taking courses in scale. Mart Saarma, director of but that was the end result. biotechnology in Denmark chemistry in Britain and the the Institute of Biotechnology Jacobs, a self-described alone. “It is very likely there United States, for example, and at the University of Helsinki, is “refugee from the British will be a labour shortage — Scandinavia is no exception. originally from Estonia, and funding crisis of the early particularly among skilled At the same time, Baltic wants to establish ties between 1990s”, stayed in touch with scientists,” he says. countries lack some modern his new country of residence two UK groups, one at the Diderichsen notes that the facilities such as the proteomics and his homeland. University of Cambridge He is trying to arrange a studying how metazoan twin-city science project mitochondrial DNA replicates, between Helsinki and Tallinn in and the other at the University Finnish envy Estonia. Apart from Saarma’s of Glasgow studying the heritage, two factors make the genetics of fruitflies. He has Finland has a history of the Karolinska Institute, who project potentially viable — since established a scheme to exporting much of its scientific sees Finland’s plans as a way to proximity (the cities are 1.5 place Glasgow undergraduates talent. Many members of the rally the Swedish government hours apart by ferry and about in his Finland lab for 10 months. faculty at the Karolinska to increase funding for basic 20 minutes by helicopter) and His work is part of a project Institute in Stockholm are rather than applied research. politics (Estonia is set to join that has been designated as a Finnish, for example. So why Norwegian scientists are the European Union in 2004). centre of excellence by the are scientists in Scandinavia especially galvanized by But the same factors that Academy of Finland. Known as currently looking at Finland Finland’s example. Although have driven other hubs in FinMIT (the Finnish research with green eyes? The simple they are pleased that the Scandinavia to network also unit on mitochondrial answer is money. government is funding 13 come into play here. Joining biogenesis and disease), the Until the 1990s, Finland’s centres of excellence, many say together in research ventures project has helped Jacobs to infrastructure was relatively privately that its aim to raise will make the twin cities more build strong links throughout underdeveloped. But after a R&D investment from 1.7% of scientifically competitive. And the Nordic region. He interacts recession in the 1980s, the GDP to 2.2% by 2005 is not combining commercial forces with fellow FinMIT researchers government invested heavily sufficiently ambitious. should do the same at the University of Helsinki, in science and technology in If other countries don’t economically, Saarma hopes. and he also works with an attempt to transform the step up their funding, top Within the past few years, Nils-Göran Larsson at the economy. As a result, Finland’s researchers may head to Scandinavia has begun to Karolinska Institute. budget for research and Finland. “We are now starting extend its networks beyond Jacobs’ happy landing development (R&D) rose from to get Swedish researchers in the Baltics to the United States, illustrates how necessity, 2.3% of its gross domestic Finland, which was very the United Kingdom and the proximity and serendipity can product (GDP) in 1994 to uncommon 10 years ago,” says Far East. For example, the lead to productive research almost 3.4% in 2000. Kalervo Väänänen, director of University of Oslo this year interactions. And it also shows “They have really pushed,” the anatomy department at the set up a research agreement that building on informal ties says Hans Wigzell, president of University of Turku. P.S. in biomedicine with Johns can help to sustain them. I Hopkins University in Paul Smaglik is editor of Naturejobs.

Sweden and California are separated early-stage venture-capital firm in so prevalent in European culture. by 7,000 miles and a large polar ice cap, Pasadena, says that foreign investors Moreover, the strong labour laws in but that is not standing in the way of a are attracted by the Swedes’ high level Europe represent another downside to budding partnership in biotechnology. of education, mastery of English, investing in European companies. But In October, the Swedish consulate in commitment to funding social aims, opportunities for Swedish investment are Los Angeles announced a programme and their strong tradition of supporting certainly abundant and needed. to aid and expand academic and scientific research. Flodström notes that for industrial ties between California, Through the Nobel prizes, they have biotechnology to succeed in Sweden, the a giant in biotechnology, and Sweden, come to be seen as the “arbiters of science Swedes need to expand their research base which is positioning itself as an in the world”, in the words of David dramatically by attracting big grants to fill emerging global leader. Baltimore, president of the California the void left by the departure of the large At a seminar held by the consulate Institute of Technology. And a strong drug companies. He stresses that the in October, Consul-General Andreas research infrastructure certainly exists in appropriate business models should be Ekman announced that a major aim of Sweden. In addition to a long tradition of chosen in the initial stages of investment, the programme is to “establish a joint excellence in academic research, medical and technologies that bear products in a Scandinavian–Californian biotechnology and technical universities are developing short timeframe, such as bioengineering venture fund to support advanced biotech collaborations based on new technology and medical devices, should be developed research commercialization”. Proposed platforms combined with clinical trials as a stronghold, saying that they will be by the office of the governor of California, taking place within the medical much more important in the short term Gray Davis, the fund is intended to universities. than proteomics and gene sequencing. provide a cushion for venture capitalists. Unfortunately, the void left by the Ways of financing it are currently being departure of large pharmaceutical STEM-CELL SUPPORT investigated, but officials at the governor’s companies from Sweden represents a office say that they hope new companies major gap in the revenue streams needed Although it is a long-term prospect can be seeded by combining investments for funding the later stages of biotech for investors, stem-cell research has from pension funds, Swedish and product development. Anders Flodström, nonetheless emerged as a field where Californian venture-capital companies president of the Royal Institute of Sweden can develop natural synergies and research institutes. Technology in Stockholm, says that for with US research institutes. When With so many top-notch academic Swedish biotechnology to succeed, the President Bush announced the US policy and industrial research institutions in research base needs to be expanded restricting embryonic stem-cell research California, why should Californian dramatically, and business models need to using funds from the National Institutes investors turn to Sweden? Alexander Suh be developed that encourage significant of Health (NIH) to only those cell lines of California Technology Ventures, an reinvestment in university and company existing as of that date, it turned out infrastructure. that 24 of those lines were held by the Karolinska Institute and Gothenburg ATTRACTIVE PROSPECT University. Recently, Governor Davis signalled A major factor in attracting venture support of stem-cell research in California capital to Sweden may turn out to be its by signing a bill that authorized stem-cell intellectual property laws, which entitle research from any source, including professors to ownership of inventions embryonic stem cells, as long as it was developed within academic systems. approved by an institutional review Flodström points out that the major board. Flodström predicts that scientists disadvantage of this system is the lack of in Sweden are gearing up towards a major reinvestment in research infrastructure push in embryonic stem-cell research, that would come out of licensing such which should begin within a year, once inventions, which could create an funding is in place, and that major unsustainable system. scientific collaborations will emerge Suh argues that to the contrary, it is between US and Swedish universities, professors’ ownership of intellectual probably funded by the NIH. It is likely property that makes Sweden so attractive that technologies will grow around to foreign investors, who see negotiations handling of the cells, and this in itself with universities that hold rights to could lead to new areas of business. inventions as an impediment to investors. The consulate’s programme also He cautions that Sweden should not features an ongoing seminar series on necessarily emulate business models areas of biotechnology in which Sweden developed in California if it wants to provides leadership, such as proteomics, stimulate foreign investment. immunology and neurobiology, as well More generally, there are major as banquets to celebrate California’s differences between US and Swedish Nobel laureates, and has helped culture that might affect investment. delegations of journalists and venture Whereas Americans are quite used to capitalists to visit Sweden. I having no safety net, risk-taking is not Natalie DeWitt is a senior biology editor at Nature.