Biotechnology and Biomedicine
Building science and innovation bridges
between Denmark and Slovakia
Jan Turna
Slovak Centre of Scientific and
Technical Information (SCSTI),
Comenius University Bratislava
Life Sciences in Slovakia
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Structure and geographical distribution
Institutions
Education
Infrastructure
Future development
Life Science Structure
Infrastructure organization of the Life Sciences is very asymmetrical
Martin
Košice
Nitra
Bratislava
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Up to 70% is concentrated to Bratislava, 25% to Košice and Nitra, with
the remaining 5% for the rest of the country.
The most of the Life sciences capacity is held in the Slovak Academy of
Sciences, less at the universities and agricultural research institutions,
but only a very small part in private bussiness.
Research capacities in SK
Estimation:
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BIO (Biomedicine and Biotechnology)
ICT (Information and commun. technology)
MAT (Material research, nanotechnology)
TECH (Industrial technology)
ENERG (Sustainable energetics and energy)
ENVIR (Environment, Agriculture)
ca. 2200 publ.
ca. 3750 publ.
BIOMED – new diagnostics and therapeutical procedures in oncological
cardiovascular, neurological diseases, endocrine and metabolic disorders,
infection diseases and alergies.
BIOTECH – mainly pharma and industrial biotech.
More than 25% of all Slovak publications in international
scientific journals comes from BIO
Institutions: Universities
Comenius University in Bratislava
(Faculty on Natural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Jessenius
Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Faculty of Pharmacy) P. J. Šafárik University in Košice
(Faculty on Natural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine)
Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava
(Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology) University of Agriculture in Nitra
University of Constantine Philosofer in Nitra
University of SS. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava
Institutions: Universities
Comenius University in Bratislava
Faculty on Natural Sciences, •
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Dept. of Molecular Biology
Dept. of Biochemistry
Dept. of Microbiology and Virology
Dept. of Genetics
Dept. of Animal Physiology
Dept. of Plant Physiology
In 2006, Scientific council of
Comenius Univ established
“Center of excellence for biotech
and biomedicine” (CEBBUK)
Faculty of Medicine, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin Faculty of Pharmacy
Faculty Matematics, Physics and Informatics
Institutions:
Slovak Academy of Sciences
• Institute of Molecular Biology
(Dr. Kormanec group)
• Institute of Virology
(Prof. Pastoreková group)
• Cancer Research Institute
(Dr. Sedlák group)
• Institute of Mol. Physiol. and Genetics
(Prof. Kádaši and Dr. Križanová
groups)
• Institute of Neuroimunology
(Prof. Novák)
Center for Molecular Medicine
Institute of Exp. Endocrinology
Institute of Chemistry
Institute of Exp. Pharmacology
Institute of Neurobiology in Košice
Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology
Institute for Heart Research
Institutions:
Slovak Academy of Sciences
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences Institutes:
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Institute of Zoology
Institute of Botany
Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics Parasitological institute in Košice
Institute of Animal Physiology in Košice
Institute of Forest Ecology in Zvolen
Institute of Landscape Ecology
Institutions:
Ministry of Agriculture Research Institutes
National Agricultural and Food Research Centre:
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Research Institute for Animal Production in Nitra
Food Research Institute in Bratislava
Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine in Košice
Research Institute of Plant Production in Piešťany
Institutions:
Ministry of Health Institutes:
• The Slovak Medical University in Bratislava
• The National Institute of Cardiovascular
Diseases
• National Institute for Oncology
• National Institute of Rheumatic Diseases
History of industrial biotechnologies
The story began in 1953, when the industrial production
of penicillin in Biotika started as a first fermentation
technology in Slovakia.
Biotika is up to these days the main producer in the field
of pharmaceutical biotechnology in Slovakia.
State policy/support
Middle 80‐ies of 20th century, within former Czechoslovakia ‐
Development Programme of Priorities was elaborated and
biotechnologies were one of four top priorities.
Coordination was by the Ministry of Agriculture, which has
probably influenced its understanding and realisation in
significant way.
But in spite of its ‐ some infrastructural projects, like Biocentre
in Modra, fermentation facilities in Dolná Krupá or Bioplant
(enterprise for enzyme production in Petrova Ves) have been
realised.
State policy/support
1996/1997 - a new iniciative on state level: „Programme on
Development and Elaboration of Biotechnologies in Agriculture“
was prepared as a part of the „National Programme on the
Biotechnologies Development“.
Unfortunatelly this has been never realised.
Strategy for research, development and innovations in
the Slovak Republic up to 2020 has been recently
prepared.
Its Priority III, Appendix 9 (applied research,
development and innovation) is aimed at Biomedicine
and Biotechnology.
Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information
National information centre and specialized technical library
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Access to R&D e‐resources for scientific community
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Technology transfer support at national level
• IP rights, licensing, spin‐offs
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National Business Centre / Slovak Business Agency • One‐stop‐shop for innovative SMEs
• Financial and non‐financial services
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HORIZON 2020
• Network of Slovak NCPs
• Slovak Liaison Office for R&D in Brussels (SLORD)
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Promotion of science and technology
The regulatory environment
In the legislation field, in 2002 was approved and
passed the bill on GMO, compatible with EU
directives. The competent authority also for the
contained use of GMO, became the Ministry of
Environment, SR.
In the intellectual property rights protection, the
last amendment that passed 10 years ago has been
devoted mainly to patents in biotechnology.
SR is member of EPC.
Successful story
• Biotika, a.s.
Slovenská Ľupča is one of the most important
manufacturers working in the sphere of biotechnology and
pharmaceutical industry.
• Biotika was founded in 1953 as a new manufacturer of
Penicillin on the territory of former Czechoslovakia with the
aim to meet domestic demand.
• At the beginning of the 60‘s the biotechnological production
was extended by Oxytetracycline production and later by the
production of Chlortetracycline and Dextrans for the
pharmaceutical application.
• In 1971 L‐Lysine production by biotechnological process was
launched and thereby Biotika became the third manufacturer
of this essential amino acid in the world.
• Evonik/Fermas
was established in December 1992 and
incorporated in companies’ register in January 1993. The
shareholders of Fermas were the German company Degussa AG
(today Evonik) in Frankfurt on the Main (51%) and the Slovak Biotika
a.s. (49%).
• From 1998 Fermas is a 100% subsidiary company of Degussa/Evonik.
L‐Threonin producer
• Imuna Pharm Holding
• Established in 1953, as one of the oldest and largest pharmaceutical
company today present in infusion solutions, culture media, tablets,
blood derivates, dietetics, hemodialytic solutions, bacteriological and
biochemical preparations.
• hameln rds
In 2006, hameln pharma rds acquired Slovakian company
VUL Modra. The acquisition enabled hameln pharma rds to expand its range
of services by adding toxicological/clinical studies and extensive laboratory
services to the mix, alongside its existing product development work,
approval service and trading activities. Today, hameln rds offers an unique
range of services that covers the entire value chain from drug development
right through to drug sales and distribution.
• AZOTER
is a small plant running fermentation enterprise, which was
originally built in 1990 within the state supporting program for
biotechnologies in former Czechoslovakia. It was oriented on the
production of enzymes utilized in the food industry. In 2002 it changed
again the owner and is now held by Azoter Company s.r.o. with main
product – Azoter fertilizer.
Small Companies
Genexpress s.r.o. – represents a private center focused on
prenatal DNA diagnostics of human monogenic hereditary
diseases.
Danubeclone s.r.o. ‐ is the company focused on monoclonal
antibodies production as well as on the neuroimmunology
research.
Slovgen s.r.o. – provides DNA diagnostics and identification based
on DNA of particular endangered wild life animals, e.g. Falcons
and Eagles
DNAtest, s.r.o – provides DNA analysis and tests based on DNA
analysis in human diagnostics.
Small Companies
Geneton s.r.o. – modern DNA based methods of genetic
analysis.
BioScience, s.r.o. – biotech research and development in the
field of diagnostics of infectious diseases targeting
immunocompromised patients, including organ transplant
recipients and patients on dialysis
Glaston, s.r.o. – stem cells research ‐ cooperation with Faculty
of Pharmacy of Comenius Univ
DB Biotech, s.r.o., Košice ‐ the design and production of high
quality rabbit clonal antibodies developed by a novel „in vitro
cloning technology“
„Biotech“ ERDF Projects
Research infrastructure
projects ERDF EU funds
Center of Excellence: 67 projects (2-3 mil. EUR/project),
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focused to material research, nanotechnology, enviro protection, and
biomedicine and biotechnology.
Center of Competence: 8 projects (~8 mil EUR/project)
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Competence center for R&D in molecular medicine (Comenius Univ)
Competence center for R&D in diagnostics and therapy of oncological diseases
Science parks: 11 projects (~ 40 mil EUR/project):
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Research center „AgroBioTech“ SAU in Nitra
Medicine University Science Park (MediPark), UPJS Košice
University Science Park for Biomedicine, SAS Bratislava
University Science Park for Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Environmental Medicine,
Comenius Univ in Bratislava
University Science Park STU in Bratislava – (industrial biotech one from the priorities)
Future development of Life Sciences
Genomics,
Proteomics,
Metabolomics
…Flow cytometry
Next gene sequencing
Digital PCR
Akta Avant 150
MS-MS, etc………
Visualization of a new building for R&D in Biomedicine and Biotechnology
in Bratislava, Mlynská dolina (ERDF project “University Science Park“– to be
finished in 06/2015).
Future development of Life Sciences
There are the most important qualifications
and potential for the Life sciences development
in Slovakia:
appropriate research in life sciences, significant permanent interest of young people to study and work in the field • FEBS membership
• prospect EMBL membership
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www.skcris.sk
Contact
prof. Jan TURNA, PhD.
Tel:
+421 2 69253 102
E-mail: jan.turna@cvtisr.sk
Slovak Centre of Scientific
and Technical Information
Lamačská cesta 8/A
811 04 Bratislava, Slovakia
Comenius University Bratislava
Safarikovo nam. 6
810 00 Bratislava, Slovakia