Bioprocess Innovation Center - a test bed for creativity and innovation

Uppsala BIO has asked CEO Lotta Ljungqvist some questions about the Bioprocess Innovation Center that will open its doors at GE’s site in Uppsala in mid-2018.

The Bioprocess Innovation Center in Uppsala will be a both national, and international test bed equipped with pilot-scale biomanufacturing platform based on single-use technologies open for bioprocess industry and start-up companies working with technology and biology innovation. The Center will also act as a facility for advanced education in bioprocessing.

Uppsala BIO asks Lotta Ljungqvist, President & CEO GE Nordics & CEO Bioprocess Innovation Center some questions about the upcoming Center:

Biopharmaceuticals are already the world’s fastest-growing class of therapeutics. What are the hottest research areas as you see it and how can the test bed accelerate the development?
With the new Center, it will become easier to try out new technologies that can bring improved productivity and quality for the global biopharmaceutical community. We are eager to boost different innovations that improve the development of new biopharmaceuticals, as well as initiatives that make the production of biopharmaceuticals more efficient in terms of speed, yield and quality, looking at the whole production chain from upstream to downstream.

So, it really depends what type of proposals we will get in, and it is important that we are open-minded to different types of proposals. Of course, automatization, digitalization and analytics are hot areas and we have a lot to discover in that space, and we warmly welcome project proposals with this type of competence.

Why is collaboration so important for GE and what is your strategy to increase collaboration?
At GE, we are interested in to collaborate with the best people, wherever they are located in the world, to create and facilitate the best possible outcomes for our customers in their endeavors. The test bed will helps new biology and technology innovations, as they can be tested in a high-quality, pilot-scale biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility.

What are the key target groups, and how can an interested company or a researcher get access to the test bed and share this interest with you?
The key target groups are start-up companies, academia – both students and researchers – and even big pharma. The process for applying to perform activities at the Centre, along with other practical aspects such as support and costs, we will set up during the winter to proceed with the applications as soon as possible. Meanwhile, people can be in contact with me.