Business Region Goteborg - Biomaterials

The Göteborg region is somewhat of a Scandinavian capital within the field of medical devices, being home to world-leading companies such as Astra Tech, Breas Mecical, Carmel Pharma, Mölnlycke Health Care, Nobel Biocare, and SCA Incontinence Care.

Göteborg also has a well-established position as a global center for biomaterials development dating back to the 1960s, when Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark discovered titanium's capacity to integrate with bone tissue. Professor Brånemark’s laboratory soon became a hotspot for experimental research. Still today, Göteborg is perceived as number one within osseo-integration.

BIOMATERIALS AND CELL THERAPY

Göteborg is one of the leading European centres within the fields of biomaterials and cell therapy. Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark's findings within osseo-integration have led to a number of successful offspring companies within the medical device area, e.g. dental implant companies Nobel Biocare and Astra Tech. Rickard Brånemark since has taken the principle of osseo-integration one step further, in orthopaedic prostheses. Cochlear recently aquired Nobel spin-out company Entific Medical Systems with their bone-integrated hearing aid Baha.

CELL SURFACE REACTION MECHANISMS

The world's largest stem-cell line is found in Göteborg. In recent years, research in cell therapy and biomaterials has converged in studies of cell surface reaction mechanisms. The regional strength in both areas is a considerable advantage. Göteborg´s knowledge base in cell function is also important for developing new advanced biomaterials and continued research in the interface area.

INSTITUTE FOR BIOMATERIALS AND CELL THERAPY

The Institute for Biomaterials and Cell Therapy, IBCT, launched in 2005, initiates and runs collaborative R&D projects within the field of regenerative medicine. A cross-border approach, pulling together industry, academia, health care and dental care in innovative research projects, adds to the uniqueness of the research platform. Currently four research projects are being run.

A history of making discoveries a reality for patients - Swedish research emphasizes the necessity of being close to patients, and basic research activities are often integrated with clinical research. Close collaboration with clinical experts at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Northern Europe's largest hospital, is a great asset in the development of new biomaterials.

GöTEBORG INTERNATIONAL BIOSCIENCE BUSINESS SCHOOL (GIBBS)

A unique interdisciplinary master's programme has been launched in Göteborg, educating tomorrow's bioentrepeneurs. At GIBBS, Göteborg International Bioscience Business School, the students are deeply involved in the commercialisation of real innovation projects. Some of these projects have been incorporated, eg Arterion, manufacturer of small synthetic blood vessels.

The Göteborg region boasts a fine tradition of life science innovations, as well as many promising new development projects and companies. Please log on to our website to find out more.

BIOMEDICINE IN GöTEBORG

• Göteborg based biomaterials companies hold 1% of global market shares
• Göteborg boasts a Nobel Prize Laureate, Professor Arvid Carlsson received the Nobel Prize for his research on dopamine
• Dental education at the University of Göteborg ranks second in the world
• 170 biomedicine companies
• 8,000 employees within life science - subcontractors and consulting firms employ approximately the same amount
• 60,000 students at University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology.
• 3,500 full-time students in medicine and biotech
• 2,000,000 - is the catchment area for Sahlgrenska University Hospital, making it the largest one in Northern Europe