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."
This macro does not provides rendering in WYSIWYG editor
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."
This macro does not provides rendering in WYSIWYG editor
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."
