West Sweden’s thriving life sciences sector has been awarded a SEK 16.3 million grant from the European Regional Development Fund (via Tillväxtverket) and Region Västra Götaland (VGR) to enhance Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) competencies.
Publish date:2025-01-14–Text:
Jamie Smith
This strategic initiative brings together healthcare, academia and industry to foster collaboration and accelerate skill development, empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the expertise needed to excel in this rapidly advancing and competitive field.
Key partners in this ‘triple-helix’ initiative include Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Gothenburg, Chalmers University of Technology, CCRM Nordic and Sahlgrenska Science Park. Together, and in close collaboration with the ATMP Centre at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, they aim to reinforce West Sweden and Gothenburg as a leading hub for ATMP, strengthening both regional leadership and national competitiveness in the life sciences sector.
The SME-focused ATMP initiative builds on the foundation of the recently launched European Social Fund (ESF) project, Competence Development in ATMP for Healthcare, which aims to enhance healthcare expertise and as a vital partner to the industry. Together, these complementary grants represent a significant strategic investment in ATMP competence development, bringing the total investment in West Sweden to over SEK 26.7 million.
Furthermore, this effort aligns closely with the Swedish government’s Life Science Strategy, which emphasizes the critical importance of developing essential competencies to strengthen and sustain Sweden's position as a leading life science nation.
Fredrik Wassberg, CEO of CCRM Nordic: “This project strongly contributes to enhancing our efforts in competence development within ATMP. It aligns perfectly with CCRM Nordic's role in supporting and developing the ecosystem in the field, ensuring that we are prepared for future needs."
Prof. Jenny Nyström, dean of the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg: "This initiative highlights the importance of fostering expertise and collaboration across academia, healthcare and industry in the ATMP field. By prioritizing advanced education and interdisciplinary training, we are equipping professionals with the skills needed to meet the challenges of tomorrow, while driving innovation and excellence in this transformative area."
Josefin Klingvall, Director Project Partnerships at Sahlgrenska Science Park: "The combined SEK 26.7 million investment in ATMP competence development is a game-changer. We are proud to catalyze these pivotal collaborative projects that unite industry, healthcare and academia. They go beyond addressing the ATMP competence gap — they help to position West Sweden and the Gothenburg region as a front-runner on the global ATMP stage."
Madeleine Jonsson (MP), Chairperson of the Environment and Regional Development Committee at Region Västra Götaland: “We know that increasing competence in ATMP is in demand, particularly in the business sector, and now we can offer a concrete initiative. In the long term, we want to ensure that our citizens have access to the latest treatments.”
Jenny Almkvist, Life Science Coordinator at Region Västra Götaland: "Health and Life Science is an area of strength in West Sweden, and precision medicine including ATMP is in focus. This grant reaffirms the commitment from Region Västra Götaland to ATMP innovation and growth, benefiting SMEs and patients locally while strengthening Sweden’s competitiveness globally.”
Click here to read Region Västra Götaland’s press release in Swedish.
