That Human Touch - Health Innovation in West Sweden Health Innovation West

In this episode, we delve into the cutting-edge of life sciences with a special focus on Business Region Göteborg's seven life science trends 2024.

Joining Jamie are Iris Öhrn and Christian Borg from Business Region Göteborg, and Petter Björquist, CEO of Verigraft.

Together, we'll explore the context for the development of
the seven key trends, how they are being applied and how they are shaping the future of healthcare not only in Gothenburg, but also globally.

We also discuss the development of the life science sector
in the region.

Links


Seven life science trends 2024
Sju life science-trender 2024

Jeanette Edblad is Head of the Swedish Government’s Life Science Office. She is at the forefront of updating the national life science strategy for Sweden, aimed at addressing current challenges and setting the path for future innovations in life science.

Jeanette joins us on the line from the Government Offices in Sweden to discuss:


Progress on the updated life science strategy,
Reflections on her recent visit to Gothenburg.
How West Sweden can contribute to the success of the life science strategy

In this special episode, Jamie is joined by Sandra Carrasco Limeros, Sara Sanchez-Heredero Martínez and Martin Priessner – the dynamic trio that came up with the idea for the HackHERHealth femtech hackathon.

Hailing from Spain and Austria and now based in Gothenburg, these three AstraZeneca talents bring a unique blend of passion for technology, life science, and gender equality. They're the brains behind the hackathon that aims to develop solutions to bridge the gender health gap.

HackHERHealth, co-hosted by Health Innovation West, kicks off with an inspiring launch and panel discussion on March 8, International Women's Day, at GoCo Health Innovation, which is also celebrating Women's Empowerment Week.

The main hackathon event will unfold from April 12-14 at GoCo and Sahlgrenska Science Park, culminating in a rewarding awards ceremony at Sahlgrenska Science Park on April 19.

Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of a transformative movement in women's health. Register now at hackherhealth.tech and join us in pioneering the future of femtech.

More details: healthinnovationwest.se/hackherhealth

Sign up: hackherhealth.tech

Dr. Mikael Kubista is a globally renowned figure in the world of molecular diagnostics and biotechnology. He's a pioneer in real time quantitative PCR - that's polymerase chain reaction, a revolutionary technique that has transformed our understanding of molecular biology.

But not only is Dr. Kubista a leading scientist, he's also an entrepreneur, having founded several successful biotech companies. His ventures have been instrumental in bringing cutting edge scientific discoveries from the lab bench to practical applications in healthcare and research.

In 2001, Michael co-founded Tataa Biocenter as a spinoff from Chalmers University of Technology, at Sahlgrenska Science Park in Gothenburg. Last year, after 22 years, Mikael suddenly, and surprisingly to many, left Tataa Biocenter.

As reported in a recent article in the trade publication, Life Science Sweden, it seems that Mikael was fired, lost all of his ownership in the company and was accused of intentionally trying to act detrimentally to the new ownership of the company.

A complicated takeover that raises ethical and business concerns, as well as important learnings for other entrepreneurs who are thinking about bringing external investments to grow their company.

In this episode of the podcast, Mikael discusses strategies for attracting external investments, navigating innovations in healthcare systems, and updates on his journey post-Tataa Biocenter. He also reflects on the life science ecosystem in West Sweden and beyond. Don't miss these expert insights!

Boubou Hallberg is the recently appointed Chief Executive Officer for Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

He has a background as a pediatric and neonatal doctor and researcher, as well as long experience of healthcare leadership.

In this episode, we cover topics including:


the exciting challenges of healthcare transformation
the ambition for Sahlgrenska to be Europe's leading university hospital by 2032
reconciling short-term financial constraints with the long-term vision
Boubou's background & leadership style
the importance of innovation in healthcare
collaboration between healthcare, academia and industry
the life science cluster in West Sweden
what it takes to impress Boubou 

00:00 to 43:25 - Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) are at the forefront of global scientific innovation in healthcare. Kristina Levan is a project manager in Region Västra Götaland with a special focus on precision medicine and ATMPs both on national and regional levels in Sweden. Kristina shares her perspectives on the opportunities & challenges to bring ATMPs to the patients that need them. She also provides insights into leading collaborations between the health sector, industry & academia.

43:25 to 1:01:37 - Mia Ekdahl from AstraZeneca’s HealthWorks and Jenny Almkvist, who works with Regional Development for Life Science at Region Västra Götaland, join Jamie Smith for a discussion on what's hot and cooking in life science in West Sweden!

Website: www.healthinnovationwest.se

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/health-innovation-west/