The pharmaceutical and biotechnology cluster Medicon Valley is host to a number of ground-breaking bioinformatics firms and public supported research projects within the interdisciplinary area of information technology and biotechnology.
– the interface between biotechnology and IT
The pharmaceutical and biotechnology cluster Medicon Valley in the Øresund region is host to a number of ground-breaking bioinformatics firms and public supported research projects within the interdisciplinary area of information technology and biotechnology.
While the Human Genome Project has provided a vast amount of genomic raw data, the project does not provide any roadmap to guide the interpretation and understanding of the data. Bioinformatics may be seen as the ‘drivers license’, which will enable us to navigate in the highly complex data. The ultimate aim is to achieve a better understanding of the essential questions of human life. Bioinformatics deals with the analysis of biological information including biological sequence data (genes and proteins) or whole organisms. Bioinformatics includes development of new database methods to store genomic information, virtual clinical tests, and biochips to perform complex IT-based analyses.
One important task in bioinformatics is to design and establish databases of biological information and develop interfaces whereby researchers can access information. Another main task is to analyse this information, making use of advanced computer software called sequence analysis tools. This software can be used for a number of purposes, including prediction of the function of newly discovered proteins and RNA sequences.
Medicon Valley is measurable against the world’s leading biotech regions in for example Boston and San Diego, and it is the productive synergy along with the strong presence of specialized IT knowledge in the Øresund region that has made bioinformatics a potential future stronghold for the region.
Some of the companies that are already working within this field are: Structural Bioinformatics Inc., BioImage A/S, H. Lundbeck A/S, HemeBiotech A/S, Interface Biotech A/S, Nycomed Pharma A/S, NatImmune A/S and Maxygen A/S. Also major firms such as Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company, and Carlsberg, the brewery, are actively involved.
The research community of the entire Øresund region plays a leading role worldwide. The most important institutions and centres in Copenhagen include:
Technical University of Denmark (DTU):
The University of Copenhagen:
Together with the Øreund IT Academy, The Swedish and Danish network organization Medicon Valley Academy has initiated the Bio+IT Post doc programme, which aims at stimulating development towards excellence in bioinformatics.
Nine Post Doc positions have been established within three key areas that have a considerable potential and already have achieved critical mass within the region:
- System biology
- 3D modelling of molecular structures
- Nanobiotechnology
It is the aim to ensure that the initiated projects develop into commercial development possibilities.
A complete and more detailed report regarding IT opportunities in Greater Copenhagen can be downloaded here
