INTERACTION. Our new Imaging and Intervention Center is set to create new opportunities for collaboration between medicine, technology and research, with a number of projects from these three areas presented at a seminar at Sahlgrenska University Hospital this week.
The seminar started with representatives of SU, the Sahlgrenska Academy and Chalmers sharing their views on opportunities to benefit from each other’s expertise.
“The Sahlgrenska Academy is already our main partner, but all three of us do need to work even more closely together,” said Ann-Marie Wennberg, Director of SU Hospital.
Mikael Elam, a chief physician at SU and professor at the Sahlgrenska Academy, maintained that collaboration delivers results in his speech:
“Our MedTech West achievements are one obvious example here: working together we have carried out over 50 research and development projects, taken several PhD students under our wing and completed a number of thesis projects. That said, the key to our success will be talking to each other even earlier in the process than we have done in the past.”
A number of different examples were then presented to demonstrate how important it is to collaborate in order to get results, with the examples given ranging from projects within “Life Science Engineering” involving nerve-controlled prosthetics and advanced new ear implants, to how you can “make” an ear using a 3D printer.
What all these projects have in common is that the patient is the focus, and that new technology provides an opportunity to improve care. Ultimately, it is more effective care that will create savings for society.
This point was driven home in particular when Helena Brisby, chief physician and professor at the Sahlgrenska Academy, spoke about back problems: “It is painful for the patient and expensive for society, with estimates showing that the bill amounts to one percent of GDP. That’s almost as much as defense costs in one year.”
Helena Brisby is managing a project that is utilizing new technology to make safer diagnoses, perform less surgery, and postpone arthrodesis.
Rounding off proceedings, the speakers got the chance to talk about what is required to achieve success in a project. Money was, of course, put forward as a factor, but many also spoke about the importance of creating meeting places in which to find people with the necessary expertise.
One such opportunity will come in March next year, when SU, the Sahlgrenska Academy and Chalmers hold another similar seminar.
Footnote: MedTech West is a collaboration platform for research, development, evaluation and education in relation to new biomedical technologies and concepts, launched in 2009 by the University of Gothenburg, Chalmers, the University of Borås, Västra Götaland County and SU.
What do you hope to achieve by collaborating?
Ann-Marie Wennberg, Director of Sahlgrenska University Hospital: “The work in and around the Imaging and Intervention Center is enabling us to increase the amount and scope of collaboration between SU, Chalmers, and the Academy. It will also make it simpler for us to launch collective projects, from which all three of us stand to gain.
Olle Larkö, Dean of Sahlgrenska Academy: “It represents an opportunity for us to strengthen and intensify the successful partnership we already have with SU and Chalmers. I’m certain that technology is the way forward and that much of what we already do is first-class. That’s not to say that good partnerships cannot be made even stronger.”
Mats Viberg, First Vice President at Chalmers: “We work together a lot already, but the Imaging and Intervention Center will open up completely different and better opportunities for us. The investment will not only benefit Gothenburg, but also the whole of Sweden. I would say that this puts us back on the right track again.”
