SwedenBIOs Science Director Maja Neiman has given lectures about the Swedish innovation support system and Career skills for scientist for Swedish and European PhD students. She has also acted as an advisor to KTH to define their new master programs combining biotech and data science, as well as to KI for their master program Translational physiology and pharmacology.
SwedenBIO has also started to explore how the industry can open up for more internships and secondments, within both basic and higher education, as well as for professional training programs.
Entrepreneurial training in the DDLS research program
In order to increase the translation of scientific findings into businesses and products that eventually reach a patient, we need more researchers with an entrepreneurial mindset and training. Luckily, this might be on the way. The Knut and Alice Wallenberg foundation has made one of the largest investments in science so far, through the establishment of the science program Data-Driven Life Science, DDLS.
It is a 12-year initiative with a total of 3.1 billion SEK with the purpose to recruit and train the next generation of life scientists across Sweden. The backbone of the science program is cross-disciplinary science and entrepreneurship. During 2023, SwedenBIOs Science Director was selected to be the industry representative in the DDLS research school managing group.
The largest joint research school in Europe
The DDLS programme includes establishing a research school for 260 PhD students in academia and industry as well as creating 210 postdoctoral positions in academia and industry. This is currently the biggest joint research school in Europe. The research school has two main components: recruitment of excellent international and national talents to the school, and education and training activities.
These students will be trained to bridge the gaps between life sciences and data sciences and change how life science is practiced, in both academia and industry.
Maja Neiman
Maja Neiman, SwedenBIOs Science Director and part of the DDLS research school managing group: “What I most appreciate with this research school approach, is the focus on transdisciplinary skills and industry competence. These students will be trained to bridge the gaps between life sciences and data sciences and change how life science is practiced, in both academia and industry. The DDLS mission states that the program will accelerate the data-driven paradigm in Sweden, and I am very proud that SwedenBIO is a part of that.”
Contact Maja if you would like to know more about these initiatives or if you would like to join our efforts: maja.neiman@swedenbio.se.
