Merck Serono collaborates with BioMed X Innovation Center in Heidelberg, Germany

Merck Serono, a division of Merck, Darmstadt, Germany, announced a collaboration to start innovation projects under the roof of an innovation centre operated by BioMed X. This new research laboratory will establish a new way of fostering innovation.

With the support of BioMed X, it will allow Merck Serono to run research projects with interdisciplinary project teams of young talented scientists, coached by a supervisor at Merck Serono and an experienced academic in an open-innovation laboratory facility in Heidelberg. The new innovation concept has been co-developed by Merck Serono and BioMed X.

Top young talent from leading academic institutions world-wide will be selected through assessment centres based on their scientific expertise, creative energy, and passion for product-oriented pre-clinical research and development. Interdisciplinary project teams will collaborate with guidance of experienced mentors while expanding their scientific network and receiving an intensive entrepreneurship and leadership training. The laboratory will be placed at a global innovation hotspot, the life science campus of the University of Heidelberg, providing access to a broad academic network and a creative environment.

Under the terms of the agreement, Merck Serono will run its own research projects in the biomedical research lab in Heidelberg operated by BioMed X. The projects will be funded by Merck Serono. The project teams will work on new approaches for the therapy of cancer. Further details of the agreement and financial terms were not disclosed.

“Our goal is to seed and boost early stage research projects by placing them into a vibrant environment, bringing in top young talent to work at the interface between industry and academia in one of the top European research hubs in Heidelberg. We expect this concept can result in a constant flow of innovative projects and creative talent into Merck Serono,” said Bernhard Kirschbaum, Head of Global Research and Early Development at Merck Serono.

Merck Serono is committed to providing guidance and coaching and to ensuring the highest industry quality standards. Furthermore, participants will have access to Merck Serono’s technical expertise and research infrastructure. In addition to operating the innovation centre, BioMed X will be responsible for world-wide recruiting of young talents, providing education to teams and securing access to academic research infrastructure in Heidelberg.

Christian Tidona, Founder and Managing Director, BioMed X, said, “I believe forming teams of top life science talents from around the world and providing experienced mentors from academia and industry is a critical step to success. Our strength lies in embedding these teams in a strong local network and leveraging the opportunities of an innovation hotspot such as Heidelberg.”

EP News Bureau – Mumbai