Roche and BioMed X announced that they have entered into a collaboration agreement to establish a research group focussing on the development of a novel sensor technology platform based on new nanomaterials such as graphene.

Outstanding early career scientists from leading academic institutions world-wide are invited to submit original project proposals in the fields of biotechnology, nanotechnology and engineering. Roche and BioMed X will jointly select the best ideas and research talents to form a new research group within BioMed X’s open innovation lab in Heidelberg. BioMed X has developed a unique innovation model offering a project plan competition, an attractive funding package, entrepreneurial education and guidance by experienced mentors from academia and industry. BioMed X’s open innovation lab is part of the multi-disciplinary life science campus of the University of Heidelberg which provides an inspiring, interdisciplinary environment for project teams. The unique supportive setting of BioMed X provides an exciting opportunity for the winners of the project plan competition to combine state-of-the-art nanomaterials research with biomedical know-how in order to develop a new sensor technology platform for near-patient testing.

BioMed X’s recruitment process allows the partners to select the best research team from among the candidates. BioMed X will be responsible for the operation of the innovation centre facility, providing entrepreneurial education and enabling access to the Heidelberg scientific community and research facilities.

“We have been looking into open innovation opportunities before and are excited to work with BioMed X’s novel and inspiring concept. What we can do in this incubator complements our internal research activities very well”, says Matthias Essenpreis, Chief Technology Officer of Roche Diagnostics. “We are particularly excited about our collaboration with Roche since it extends our successful innovation model into the new fields of diagnostics and nanotechnology”, said Christian Tidona, founder and Managing Director of BioMed X.