Over 300 people gathered at BMC, Uppsala, on the first Uppsala and Stockholm co-arranged SciLifeLab-DAY.
– Uppsala and Stockholm has enjoyed a close relationship with common goals for a long time now. The fact that we now have a common organization and strategic management will enable us to optimize our resources and provide a greater clarity in relation to the rest of Sweden. SciLifeLab-DAY is an important venue for scientific discussion and learning and we look forward to many more – next time in a bigger venue based on the high interest, said Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, Co-Director at SciLifeLab.
The introductory session Technology development offered presentations on in situ mRNA analysis by Mats Nilsson, Stockholm University, and Ruedi Aebersold, ETH Zürich, who gave a talk about Quantitative proteomics and network biology.
– An important aspect of SciLifeLab’s mission is to identify and develop leading edge technologies. Mats Nilsson demonstrated a unique technology to reveal cells harboring specific mutations in tissue sections, while Ruedi Aebersold held an impressive lecture, illustrating about how powerful mass spectrometry provides a basis for for computational analyses, commented moderator Ulf Landegren.
Plenty of time was also provided for interactive meetings between visitors and a selection of SciLifeLab’s technical platforms. Among those who were on site to provide information and answer questions was Björn Nystedt, Uppsala Manager of WABI, part of the Bioinformatics platform.
– The Bioinformatics platform provides bioinformatics support where we receive other people’s data and assist in the analysis. We consider SciLifeLab-DAY to be a good opportunity to showcase and expand the use of our services as an integral part of what SciLifeLab now offers, said Björn Nystedt.
Several of the visitors took the opportunity to view the green striped exterior of The Hub that is currently being built at one of BMC’s courtyards. The new premises will be ready in the end of the year and several research groups have already been installed in the adjacent hallways.
– The completion of The Hub will have a significant impact by providing a natural meeting place and forum for discussion. We are very pleased that some of our colleagues from the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology have already moved to BMC. Later in the week we will have a welcome meeting and discuss potential areas of collaboration, said Kerstin Lindblad-Toh.