The two-day retreat brought together WCMM Fellows, clinical researchers and DDLS Fellows to discuss the future of the centre, opportunities for innovation and how research can be translated into real-world impact.
Looking towards the future of WCMM
The retreat opened with a discussion led by Professor Gunilla Westergren-Thorsson on "WCMM 3.0: How Do We See the Centre Organised Going Forward?". The session invited the PIs to reflect on WCMM Lund’s future direction and how the centre can continue to strengthen its research environment and community. This was followed by inspirational talks from Scientific Advisory Board members Peter ten Dijke and John Pernow.
From local opportunities to the Nordic innovation landscape
Innovation and translation were central themes throughout the retreat. Christine Dahlman Jacobsson, Project Lead at SMILE Venture Hub, shared insights into local innovation opportunities, funding and support, while WCMM Fellow Paul Bourgine shared his experience of taking an idea from academic research towards the spin-off Dhalion Biotech.
Petter Hartman, CEO of Medicon Village Innovation, then brought a broader Nordic perspective on innovation, funding and collaboration. Together, the sessions highlighted different pathways for researchers looking to move discoveries beyond the laboratory and towards innovation.
From clinical problem to clinical trial
The retreat also highlighted the experiences of researchers working at the interface between research and healthcare. WCMM Clinical Researchers Martin Magnusson and Gesine Paul-Visse shared their hands-on experiences of moving from clinical challenges towards clinical trials and patient benefit.
Gesine offered a particularly powerful example, taking the group through the long and complex journey behind a multicentre, first-in-human clinical study using human embryonic stem cell-derived dopaminergic cells for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
The retreat also created plenty of space for informal exchange, including a Walk & Talk focused on translating discoveries from the lab and clinic into new therapies, drugs and innovations.
Two inspiring days of discussion, exchange and reflection provided the WCMM Lund PIs with new perspectives on both the future of the centre and the many pathways from research discovery to impact.