Biocenter Finland strengthens Finnish life-science competence

The founding partners of Biocenter Finland are the A.I. Virtanen Institute of Molecular Sciences (University of Kuopio), Biocenter Oulu (University of Oulu), Biocentrum Helsinki (University of Helsinki), BioCity Turku (University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University) and the Institute of Medical Technology (University of Tampere). Biocenter Finland may also be joined by other Finnish internationally significant life-science actors, such as the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland IMM, which is to be launched this year.

The purpose of Biocenter Finland is to strengthen and internationalise Finnish research in the life sciences, biomedicine and biotechnology and to promote a more efficient utilisation of research results and implementation of new technologies in Finland.

Biocenter Finland will collaborate actively with university hospitals and will create close contacts with clinical research, technical sciences, business and industry, and polytechnics. It will make proposals for universities concerning the development and funding of the research infrastructure in the life sciences, biomedicine and biotechnology, and it will assume an active role in developing researcher training in the field.

Biocenter Finland will act as part of an international network of leading life-science, biomedical and biotechnology research, the operation of which is based on co-operation, joint services and linking into international infrastructure projects.

The management group of Biocenter Finland will consist of representatives of biocentres and experts representing close co-operation partners. The management group will elect the Director from amongst themselves; the directorship will rotate between the member organisations.