Swiss biotech seeks British cell mates

Biotechnology is booming in Switzerland Keystone Archive

Swiss scientists and businessmen are in London this week to explore possible tie-ups with the British biotechnology and nanotechnology sectors.

High on the agenda will be how to make up some of the ground lost to the United States.

“We can see that the United States is leading the way, both in terms of central funding and also in terms of money from investors,” Tim Wells, senior executive vice-president of research at Serono, told swissinfo.

“For the future, both the Swiss and British have to regain some of this ground.”

Charles Kleiber, state secretary for science, and Jean-Daniel Gerber, state secretary for economic affairs, are heading the 60-strong mission.

Kleiber said that institutional collaboration was a priority – hence the presence in the delegation of the presidents of the Federal Institutes of Technology in Zurich and Lausanne.

“We have to activate the research and education area in Europe in terms of centres of competence, the mobility of students and professors, and the circulation of brains.

“We want to be very concrete and very pragmatic. We are not just going to meet to talk.”

Interaction

Science and technology, and their economic application, are the focus of two days of lectures, workshops and discussions.

“One aim of the mission is to bring people from industry and science together because these people do not know each other,” said Kleiber.

“My interest is to get in touch with some of the actors and learn more about the British nanotechnology scene,” added Harry Heinzelmann, director of the Swiss Centre for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) in Neuchâtel.

He said that he was curious to see how Britain tackles the ethical and health issues, and the fears, associated with nanotech.

For Bernard Witholt, professor of biotechnology at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, interaction is also key.

“The aim is to meet people in Britain who are interested in some of the areas that we are interested in – biocatalysis using enzymes and micro-organisms to do chemistry – and, of course, also to meet some of the other participants from Switzerland who are active in the same areas,” he explained.

Applied science

Switzerland boasted 216 biotech companies in 2002, while Britain had 331, according to accountancy giant Ernst & Young.

Those making the journey to London say that while it is possible to keep abreast of developments in science from publications and conferences, it is important to see how other countries develop new companies and how funding is put in place to promote applications.

“When it comes to applying the science, to developing companies, to having companies interact with one another, then I think it is very useful to visit Britain,” said Witholt.

Serono’s Tim Wells agrees: “Both countries have built industries based on high technology and intelligent support from government to make science and technology one of the core strengths.”

Christoph Gerber, director of scientific communication at the National Centre of Competence for Nanoscience, said it was important to strengthen the European scientific aspects of nano.

“The richness of the nano world will have great implications on the macro world in the future,” he said.

“It is very important that contacts between the emerging nanocentres in Europe – and particularly in Britain, because they are in a leading position – are deepened.”

swissinfo, Vincent Landon

Key facts

The Swiss biotech industry counted 227 companies at the end of 2003.
In terms of biotech companies, Switzerland ranks 6th in Europe and 9th in the world.
Around 13,000 people are employed in the Swiss biotech sector.
Of the SFr19 billion ($15 billion) invested in biotech last year, Switzerland attracted about SFr130 million.