Biocat, Special Guest at Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer Center
Biocat Director of Innovation Dr. Marta Príncep explained the potential of the Catalan biotechnology sector to professors and researchers from Johns Hopkins University.
Yesterday in Baltimore (Maryland, United States), the Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer Center (JHTT) presented the international Science without Borders program, through which professors and researchers from Johns Hopkins University have the opportunity to learn more about innovation in biotechnology and life sciences in other countries. JHTT’s partners in this initiative are the Greater Baltimore Committee and the Forest City Enterprises Science and Technology Group.
Biocat is the first organization to be invited to participate in this program. One of the main reasons behind this was that the JHTT believes in Biocat’s model, which includes representatives from all the sector’s stakeholders (Administration, universities, research centers and support bodies) in its governing bodies and aims to dynamize these players in order to create an environment with a strong research system, active knowledge transfer and an entrepreneurial business fabric.
Dr. Marta Príncep, Biocat director of Innovation, presented the positive state of biotechnology, biomedicine and medical technology in Catalonia, which has become the most dynamic region in Spain in terms of new companies started up (23% in 2010) and the second, after Madrid, in number of biotech companies (with 20.5% of the total).
In her talk to participating American professors and researchers, Príncep explained the potential of this sector made up of more than 480 companies, 435 research groups, more than 20 research centers, 57 technological and scientific services facilities, 28 support bodies, 19 science parks, 15 hospitals, 9 large-scale facilities and 6 technology centers. As a whole, the sector in Catalonia employs some 30,000 people, 18,000 of which (researchers and technical personnel) work in R&D. Also noteworthy is the region’s scientific excellence in life sciences, as demonstrated by the fact that since 2007 the European Research Council (ERC) has awarded Advanced Grants to 30 Catalan researchers. All of this data is available in more detail in the 2011 Biocat Report.
Johns Hopkins is considered one of the most important academic and research universities in the world, having produced a number of Nobel Laureates in Medicine. Biocat has been collaborating with the JHTT since October 2010.