Our story - Life Science
Life science in the Stockholm-Uppsala region
Establishing business in the Karolinska/Norra Station area will provide unique opportunities to integrate with world-leading research and healthcare.
The Stockholm - Uppsala region is the leading region in Europe within research and education in Life Sciences (THS ranking 2009).
Clusters with research groups and companies
Within a limited geographical area in the Stockholm region, there are five universities with world-leading research within complementary disciplines. Located here are Karolinska Institutet, one of Europe's largest medical universities and Sweden's largest centre for medical research and training; KTH Royal Institute of Technology, which represents one-third of Sweden's technical research and engineering education; and Stockholm University, which houses Sweden's largest natural sciences faculty. The region is also home to Uppsala University, the oldest university in the Nordic region, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, which conducts research on biological natural resources.
This "knowledge region" accommodates over 70,000 students and around 10,000 researchers.
The point of departure being life science, the field that unites the research conducted at these five universities, this is the home of Scandinavia's foremost life science cluster - Stockholm – Uppsala Life Science. The Stockholm - Uppsala region features around 500 of Sweden's 800 life science companies – including global pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, Pfizer's biotech production facilities in Strängnäs, and several global pharmaceutical companies that have their Scandinavian head office here.
The node in the cluster - Karolinska/Norra Station
The Karolinska/Norra Station area is the strongest node in this cluster and is strategically located near central Stockholm – The Capital of Scandinavia.
At Karolinska/Norra Station in Stockholm, a new district is currently being built where large investments are being made to develop life science enterprise.
The new university hospital and SciLifeLab
In 2015,
New Karolinska Solna University Hospital (NKS) will be inaugurated – a cutting-edge university hospital that will be a hub in the healthcare system, to meet tomorrow's demands for highly specialised healthcare.
As early as 2010, SciLifeLab will be inaugurated – the result of the three Stockholm universities joining forces in such a significant effort. They are now in partnership talks with Uppsala University.
SciLifeLab is now receiving a staggered government finance package that will reach its maximum level in year 3 (2012) at SEK 100 million/year. In addition, each individual researcher will bring their resources to the project.
SciLifeLab will drive research within six key areas to achieve rapid progress in life science. These include rapid genetic sequencing, bioinformatics, biological image analysis, gene function studies and structural biology. This is a major step in the fight against major human diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart and lung diseases. First on the agenda are rapid sequencing of genetic material and bioinformatics. SciLife Lab will be established in Karolinska Institutet Science Park and it is estimated that 75 people will be empoyed there, with 220 staff projected for 2011.
The entire effort in the Karolinska/Norra Station area includes the construction of roads, hotels, residential buildings and offices/laboratory spaces for life science businesses and the New Karolinska University Hospital Solna, as well as the development of the eastern section of the hospital grounds and the KI campus, and entails an investment cost of around SEK 50-60 billion, corresponding to EUR 5 billion. This is comparable to other infrastructure investments in Sweden such as the development of the Stockholm underground or the construction of 24 Hötorgshus office buildings in Stockholm. The premises made available here for life science enterprise will correspond to around 500 sq km, which can be compared to the surface area of the Olympic Village in Beijing.
The Karolinska/Norra Station area also houses the Karolinska Trial Alliance, which coordinates resources for clinical trials, The Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control and The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), which is the European Union's unit for strengthening European efforts for protection against infectious diseases.
Cooperation adds value at Karolinska/Norra Station
In this unique effort at Karolinska/Norra Station, research, companies, innovation, and health and medical care are uniquely blended to create a focused environment for cooperation. Here, different parts of the value chain within life science can contribute with their respective strengths. The plan is that the various players in this cluster will be able to meet in an easily accessible way. The whole idea is to make it easier for researchers and companies to effectively and efficiently develop innovative medicinal and medical products to improve human health, which, in partnership with the health care system, will lead to better and cheaper health care.
Karolinska/Norra Station is strategically located near the capital's centre with its financial centre, two international airports and rich cultural offerings that are close to green areas. This makes the whole project, with its critical mass, an area attractive to both live and work.
Establishing your company in Karolinska/Norra Station will enable you to capitalise on the unique onsite partnerships between research and healthcare.
Listen to the industry leaders here.