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In 2023, the Impact-implants program started with the goals of advancing innovation in the field of medical technology and personalised implants. Six projects started as multidisciplinary collaboration between regional partners from healthcare, academia, and the industrial sector.Roughly one year ago, the Just Transition Fund program IMPACT-Implants started. Regional partners from industry, research and healthcare embarked into a 3-year journey to optimize biomaterials and workflows for implant design to innovate the next generation of individualized 3D-designed devices, including implants for complex bone defects and fractures on knees, wrists, jaws and the airway. The partners includes the University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG), represented by 9 academic and clinical departments, in collaboration with the MetaMechanics group of the ENTEG Institute of the Faculty of Sciences and Engineering of the University of Groningen, and regional companies WiTEC Innovating Together, Bether Encapsulates, BAAT Medical and the non-subsidize company PolyVation. The UMCG Innovation Center supported the initiation of the project and is involved in the program management.The vision and the ambition of IMPACT-ImplantsThe program leader, Dr. Joep Kraeima, Associate professor, Technical Physician Specialist, dpt. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Head 3DLab UMCG summarizes the vision in a sentence: “The aim is to provide personalised solutions from head-to-toe and in the entire north of the Netherlands. This project is an example of what the province of Groningen and the North of the Netherlands has to offer in terms of state-of-the-art innovative healthcare solutions.The six research & development linesiMPaCT-implants has successfully shaped and started six interconnected research projects, each addressing critical aspects of medical implant innovation including regulatory aspects, applicability, new technical development and further business potential. All projects have started in 2023 and are running smoothly. Curious to see what the project are about directly from the project leaders Here you find an overview of the projects and you can hear directly from the project leaders on their ambitions and expected outcomes.Source article & picture: UMCG Research

De LIFE Cooperative, the cooperative for the life sciences & health sector in the Northern Netherlands, is taking a new step toward the future with the announcement of its new board composition. As of October 1, the LIFE Cooperative proudly welcomes two new faces: Annelies Wolters, director of Lode Holding, and Koos Koops, partner at Carduso Capital and former co-founder and CEO of Xendo. These new board members bring fresh ideas and energy to elevate the cooperative's ambitions to the next level.

In September, NoordZ magazine published a wonderful article about the 10th anniversary of the LIFE Cooperative, in which we share our growth, collaborations, and future plans. The article highlights how LIFE brings companies together and fosters innovation in the Life Sciences & Health sector. Read the full article below (in Dutch)!

Third edition of the LIFE Science Conference a great success A completely sold-out venue, inspiring keynotes, the 10th anniversary of the LIFE Cooperative, and a thrilling conclusion to the Innovation Award with winner Neolook. This proved to be the perfect recipe for a vibrant edition of the LIFE Science Conference on Tuesday, September 24. This year's conference revolved around the theme 'Data Science for Life Science,' emphasizing the integration of data and artificial intelligence in the life sciences and health sectors. Over 200 entrepreneurs, researchers, and policymakers gathered to exchange knowledge and network about the future and ambitions of the sector. The conference, held at Forum Groningen, was opened by the chairperson of the day, Renée van der Sluis, followed by the official kickoff of the event by Carine Bloemhoff, alderman of the municipality of Groningen, and Peter Ketelaar, director of the LIFE Cooperative. "For the third year in a row, we are organizing the conference on the fourth Tuesday of September. It’s becoming a real tradition, and I’m proud that we can once again showcase our innovative cooperative in life sciences and health, celebrate our 10th anniversary, and toast to it afterward. I encourage everyone to continue networking, searching for new collaborations and ideas," said Peter Ketelaar.AI makes healthcare more personalized Wiro Niessen, Captain of Science for the Top Team Life Sciences & Health and specialized in the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine, gave a captivating first keynote. He envisions a significant role for creating a data-driven infrastructure in healthcare. With the right data, healthcare can become more precise and personalized. After a short break, the audience returned for the second keynote, delivered by physician, administrator, and professor of medicine Marcel Levi. In his keynote, he discussed the broader societal implications of AI and data science and their role in healthcare, business, and science. Marcel Levi emphasized that there is great potential for using data and AI in healthcare, but that human involvement remains indispensable and cannot be replaced by computers.Celebration of innovation and collaboration A highlight of the afternoon was the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the LIFE Cooperative. This milestone was marked by an interactive panel discussion with several members of the LIFE Cooperative, such as Symeres and Ardena, who are rooted in the region but have a global impact. The panel discussion highlighted future ambitions and reflected on the past decade. This was also the moment when two esteemed board members of the LIFE Cooperative, Ton Vries and Johannes Wolters, bid farewell. Their years of voluntary dedication and leadership have played a crucial role in the development of the life sciences sector in the Northern Netherlands.

The G2Solutions project, led by Prof. Dr. Ir. Floris Foijer from the UMCG – ERIBA Research Institute, has received funding from PharmaNL under the PharmaNL Shared Development Infrastructure program for their five-year project. G2Solutions focuses on developing infrastructure for new drug development. “This project demonstrates that we can make unique technologies, such as single-cell sequencing and stem cell and organoid production, available to the world, creating new opportunities for drug development,” says Peter Ketelaar, director of LIFE Cooperative. The project involves close collaboration between UMCG/ERIBA, UMCG/Genetics, LIFE Cooperative, GenomeScan, and Pivot Park Screening Centre.

Drumroll! The finalists for the third edition of the LIFE Science Innovation Award have been announced. With pride, the LIFE Cooperative presents the three finalists: Enatom, Neolook Solutions, and Ivy Medical. On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, these three startups will pitch their innovations at the LIFE Science Conference, with this year's theme being "Data Science for Life Science." This conference is organized annually by the LIFE Cooperative and its partners, with the Innovation Award being a key component. The award is presented to the innovation with the greatest impact in the field of life sciences & health, originating from the Northern Netherlands. The jury will decide on September 24 at the Forum Groningen who among the three finalists will receive the prize.

Het project ‘G2 Solutions’, door de LIFE Cooperative geïnitieerd, is in augustus officieel gehonoreerd door PharmaNL in hun programmalijn Shared Development Infrastructure. Dit is de tweede subsidie die we dit jaar van PharmaNL ontvangen, na de toekenning in februari 2024 voor de LIFE Academy in de programmalijn Human Capital Growth.

Maak kennis met de Compact MBA, dé cursus die jou een stevige introductie biedt in de wereld van Business Administration. Deze training in het najaar van 2024 is specifiek samengesteld voor leden van de LIFE Cooperative: grijp dus nu je kans!

Nederland heeft de wereld veel te bieden als een toonaangevend Life Sciences and Health-hub, waarbij Noord-Nederland een essentiële schakel vormt. De LIFE Cooperative, het noordelijk samenwerkingsverband in de life sciences, zet de lifesciences ontwikkelingen met wereldwijde impact in de spotlight tijdens de derde editie van de LIFE Sciences Conference op dinsdag 24 september 2024 in het Forum Groningen. Marcel Levi, toonaangevende arts, hoogleraar en bestuurder zal optreden als keynote spreker. Tijdens het evenement wordt ook voor de derde keer de Innovation Award van de LIFE Cooperative uitgereikt aan de innovatie met de meeste impact in Noord-Nederland.