Backed by 3.7 billion SEK from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, one of Europe’s largest private scientific funders, the SciLifeLab and Wallenberg National Program for Data-Driven Life Science, simply referred to as the ”DDLS program”, aims to place Sweden at the forefront of tomorrow’s life science technologies. Announced three years ago, the program provides funding for collaborative projects between industry and academia over 12 years, strengthening the vital connection between the two sectors.
The purpose of the program is to train and recruit the next generation of life scientists, to create a strong computational and data science base, and to strengthen the competencies in today’s research society. The hope is that the program will enable Swedish scientists to better analyze data patterns and integrate their data with the global data flows in life sciences.
“Developments in life science and AI are moving at a rapid speed. The foundation’s investments aim to create competence and know-how in the field, something that is important for Sweden as a nation,” commented Peter Wallenberg, Chair of the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, in a recent press release announcing an additional 700 million SEK of funding for the program, on top of the 3.1 billion SEK allocated initially.
To illustrate the kind of cooperation fostered by the program, SwedenBIO spoke with two researchers involved in a DDLS-funded project. Jonas Åström, Research Manager at Olink in Uppsala, represents the industry side, while Fredrik Edfors from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm represents academia. Together, they lead a project titled “Tailored Protein Panel Composition in Biomarker Discovery Using Concrete Autoencoders”, which explores the potential of data processing to advance protein studies. Though still in its early stages, the project exemplifies the collaborative spirit the program seeks to encourage.
“The project focuses on developing and utilizing software tools, including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, to support decision-making and knowledge creation in advanced proteomic studies,” explains Åström.
Olink’s R&D efforts have created a world leading technology for proteomics research, the study of protein profiles in contexts such as health and disease. The DDLS program has allowed the company to take this work further.
“The program is enabling Olink R&D to dedicate resources to a long-term project alongside researchers at KTH, complementing our regular operations,” Åström continues. “It also facilitated the recruitment and development of talented individuals within our organization and strengthened our network with KTH, creating lasting value beyond the project itself.”
The program provides companies with funding to hire industrial PhD students, covering full costs for four years. The grants, totaling 2.5 million SEK, include an academic supervisor to ensure scientific rigor. The PhD students also join a DDLS-funded research school, offering opportunities to learn and exchange ideas across Sweden, further accelerating innovation and development.
For academia, the benefits are equally significant. “Collaborating with industry allows us to connect ongoing research with practical applications developed by people with diverse expertise,” says KTH:s Fredrik Edfors. “We gain access to additional resources and establish long-term collaborations with key stakeholders in the field.”
The DDLS program’s scope is impressive, involving 39 research leaders, 260 PhD students, and 210 postdocs across academia and industry. Its focus areas include internationalization, industrial collaboration, entrepreneurship, and the interdisciplinary nexus of computer science and life science. Covering 11 universities, the program is coordinated by SciLifeLab, a national research infrastructure and longstanding academic collaboration among Swedish universities.
“Collaborating with industry offers us valuable opportunities to connect our on-going research with practical applications in the industry.”
Fredrik Edfors highlights how the project has opened new avenues for research. “Collaborating with industry offers us valuable opportunities to connect our on-going research with practical applications in the industry. We also get access to additional resources and secure a long-lasting collaboration with key actors in the field. This partnership also opens new areas for research and fosters stronger networks that extend beyond the original project itself, benefiting both parties.”
As for the application process, Jonas Åström found it straightforward but advises prospective applicants to establish clear plans for sharing results and defining ownership agreements to avoid complications.
“The DDLS program is a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with academic partners on long-term projects, develop your team, build networks, and research new technologies for future development,” he explains.
