On Wednesday 31 March and Thursday 1 April, MIRA, the Institute
for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine at the University
of Twente, presented its work to leading scientists from the
Netherlands and abroad in the Creatieve Fabriek in Hengelo. Under
the banner of 'Top Technology for Patients', the Institute showed
three films detailing its current research projects and the
activities engaged in to launch the developed technology onto the
market. The institute's plans certainly do not lack ambition. "MIRA
is striving to become the very best in Europe," says science
director Clemens van Blitterswijk.
Business director Martijn Kuit is enthusiastic about the future:
"MIRA will see incredible growth over the next few years, from 250
employees to 400 in 2014. This will further serve to increase the
already high quality and volume of our scientific output. We are
also embarking on a growing number of collaborative projects with
businesses and other institutes. Take for example, the Center for
Medical Imaging (CMI) that we set up together with the University
Medical Center Groningen and the German company Siemens. This is
where we present the latest innovations in the field of medical
imaging, such as MRI scanners. We will also be playing a role in
the LEO Robotica Centre, developing new technology, for example,
for the operating theatres of the future. We are also establishing
the Cluster for Biomaterials, which will focus on applications that
stimulate the body to generate new tissue. One example already on
the market is the special ceramics developed by our spin-off
company Progentix. Once inside the body, these ceramics provide a
framework on which the body´s own stem cells can form bone in the
requisite location. The American medical device company NuVasive is
orchestrating a major market release of the product."
Video 1: About MIRA
Breeding ground for companies
The biomedical technological research conducted at the
University of Twente has spawned numerous new companies over the
last few years. MIRA wants to continue making further investments
in this area. Van Blitterswijk: "You need companies to make this
type of expensive technology accessible to the patient. With the
support of specialist advisors, we are making major investments
within our own MIRA project agency to promote this development. We
would like to see four spin-off companies created a year and
provide support for their continued growth." Kuit: "We currently
have around 25 new business cases in the pipeline. These range from
patentable technology that is due to be released on the market in
coming years or that is licensed by an existing company, or
technology that will help set up a new company. MIRA encourages
entrepreneurial spirit among our scientists by actively screening
and scouting for new technology. We help them to patent promising
technological breakthroughs and launch them on the market."
Video 2: Cooperation of MIRA with companies
Technology and medicine
MIRA's philosophy is to combine fundamental and applied research
with clinical practice. The degree programme in Technology and
Medicine plays an important role in this as Van Blitterswijk points
out. "Technology and Medicine bridges the gap between traditional
surgery and modern surgical innovations. This demands a vast amount
of technological knowledge, which we ensure our graduates are
equipped with." With this in mind, the Department of Technology and
Medicine recently appointed three new clinical part-time
professors.
According to Van Blitterswijk, the combination of fundamental,
applied and clinical research in one institute is completely unique
in Europe. "We believe that, given our current position, we are
well on our way to becoming the very best in Europe in our
scientific field."
