RESEARCH. Three prominent young researchers have now been recruited in the effort to build the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine. The Wallenberg Centre has now issued an invitation to an initial seminar where the prominent young researchers and other associated researchers will present their projects.
The seminar will be held on Tuesday, February 7, at 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Wallenberg Conference Centre. Register here: http://kompetensutveckling.adm.gu.se/seminar/detail/3012
The Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine (WCMTM) at the University of Gothenburg has been established in cooperation with the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, Västra Götaland Region, AstraZeneca and the University of Gothenburg. The Wallenberg Centre is a part of a national endeavor to strengthen Sweden’s world-leading position in medical research and at least 20 top young researchers will be recruited in Gothenburg. WCMTM also supports specific translational projects and infrastructures that bridge research and clinical practice to secure the breadth in WCMTM.
The first three researchers who have now been recruited are Emma Börgeson, Anders Rosengren and Karolina Skibicka. They are active in metabolism and neurosciences, and conduct research that is deemed to be both highly interesting and relevant to several diseases that affect public health. Emma Börgeson studies anti-inflammatory substances called lipoxins and how they regulate the inflammation seen in obesity. Anders Rosengren is working to identify new treatments for type-2 diabetes. Karolina Skibicka’s research on the hormone GLP-1 may in extension lead to a new pharmaceutical treatment of obesity.
“These three researchers are characterized by having a translational research profile and working from basic research and preclinical models to patient testing and to some extent clinical trials. It turned out that they have common interests in their projects that lead to them being able to both challenge and support each other, which we view as very positive,” says Göran Landberg, Director of the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine at the University of Gothenburg.
Building up their teams
The researchers are bringing with them partly new knowledge and methodology and are also expected to be able to complement other high-quality research already established in Gothenburg.
“Two of the researchers are building up their teams at their respective host institutions, have been well taken care of and have begun the recruitment of team members to be able to start new projects. With the support from the Wallenberg Centre, the third researcher will be able to expand on-going projects and answer new and important questions in an already strong research environment,” confirms Göran Landberg.
Akademiliv will soon return with longer interviews with all three of the young research group leaders recruited in the effort.
Researching medical specialists
The Wallenberg Centre is also recruiting young Ph.D. physicians during their specialist residency with a research background in one of the focus areas of metabolism, neuroscience or respiratory diseases to bridge to clinical application.
“We want to ensure translatability and create a clinical equivalent of the first recruitments. In 2017, there will also be other appointments of group leaders and new announcements in other focus areas,” says Göran Landberg.
During the year, the Wallenberg Centre will work on supporting on-going collaboration between the university, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and AstraZeneca, and also initiate new joint projects. The center will also continue with the establishment of national research networks with the three other Wallenberg Centres in Umeå, Linköping and Lund as well as with SciLifeLab.
The seminar on February 7 will not only gather the top young researchers at the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, but also the center’s steering committee and financiers:
“It will be very inspiring to be able to gather our steering committee, our Scientific Advisory Board and our newly recruited researchers together with representatives high up in the organization at the institutions, from the region and AstraZeneca and also invite staff out in the organization to show the progress in this strategically important effort,” concludes Göran Landberg.
You can register for the seminar on February 7 here: http://kompetensutveckling.adm.gu.se/seminar/detail/3012
