SEK 155 million investment in WCMTM to advance clinical research
The University of Gothenburg has now been awarded an additional SEK 155 million to strengthen clinical research. This is part of a national strategic initiative by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, which will, among other things, enable the recruitment of new clinical research leaders within the Wallenberg Centre for Translational and Molecular Medicine (WCMTM), in collaboration with the Västra Götaland Region.
The initiative also includes a major program that will further strengthen clinical research through collaborative projects between clinical medicine, AI, and molecular technologies.
“We welcome this long-term investment, which creates excellent opportunities to strengthen clinical and translational research at the University of Gothenburg. Our close collaboration with healthcare providers, built up over many years, is an important reason why this initiative is being made here. Our tradition of excellence and innovation in life sciences strengthens not only western Sweden but also Sweden as a leading international player,” says Vice-Chancellor Malin Broberg.
Read the press release from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.
New clinical research leaders to be recruited
The new clinical research leaders—physicians who will have the opportunity to combine clinical work with research—will be part of a network of research leaders and groups spanning the Sahlgrenska Academy and the Faculty of Science and Technology.
"Through collaboration between faculties, we bring together research groups and areas of expertise across traditional boundaries. This enables us to address complex medical challenges in new ways and from multiple perspectives – from molecular mechanisms to clinical application," says Jenny Nyström, Dean of the Sahlgrenska Academy.
Bridging the gap between research and treatment
Six universities and four hospital regions are part of this new national initiative, with a total investment of SEK 1.6 billion. This enables patient-centered research and allows studies to be conducted both in primary care and in hospitals.
At Sahlgrenska University Hospital—ranked by the Swedish Research Council as having the country’s best clinical research—there are already 13 clinical research groups linked to the existing WCMTM initiative.
The expansion of the initiative by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, now with a clear clinical focus, is an important contribution, says Ann Ekberg Jansson, Regional Director of Research and Development in the Västra Götaland Region.
“The Västra Götaland Region has a clear strategy to be a leading research region, where research is an integral part of the development of healthcare. Major clinical investments like this create powerful collaborations across the entire region and contribute not only to groundbreaking results, but also to strengthening our research capacity in the long term and our ability to meet future healthcare needs,” says Ann Ekberg Jansson.
During 2014–2015, the establishment of four Wallenberg Centres for Molecular Medicine was initiated at the universities of Gothenburg, Linköping, Lund and Umeå, in collaboration with their respective healthcare regions.
"The continuation of this initiative is fantastic news for the centre and all our partners supporting clinical and translational research at the university and within the healthcare system," says Johan Zelano, Professor of Neurology and Director of WCMTM.
At the University of Gothenburg, the centre is shared between the Sahlgrenska Academy and the Faculty of Science and Technology, and more than 30 research group leaders have been recruited during the first ten years.
"The new initiative represents a significant strengthening of both clinical and molecular research and builds new bridges between the faculties," says Margit Mahplapuu, Professor in Molecular Genetics and Co-Director of WCMTM.
