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Biofilms Research Center for Biointerfaces
for Biointerfaces
Biofilms Research Center for Biointerfaces is a multidisciplinary research centre within materials and life sciences. The centre’s activities focus on phenomena associated with biofilms and biobarriers. The practical applications of the research include diagnostics, treatment methods, drug formulation and the use and development of medical implants and sensors.
Our vision is to shape novel solutions for improved health through excellent science in partnership with industry.
Thérese Nordström, Director
News and events
Research highlights
Stability of pharmaceutical formulations
The stability of pharmaceutical formulations is affected by many parameters, for example temperature and water content. To be able to investigate the so-called glassy state in pharmaceutical formulations, Ivan Argatov and Vitaly Kocherbitov have proposed a theoretical model.
LDL structure and atherosclerosis development
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) plays a key role in atherosclerosis development. A better understanding of the ultrastructure of LDL, here studied with small-angle X-ray scattering, can have implications for future diagnostic methods of cardiovascular disease.
New sensor for lipid biomarkers
Many diseases have been linked with individual lipid species, one such species is Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a lipid biomarker for cancer, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Malmö University researchers now report a first of its kind optical sensor for phospholipids which opens up new prospects of using individual lipid species as broad spectrum biomarkers.
Breakfast seminars
Welcome to breakfast seminars arranged by Biofilms Research Center for Biointerfaces. The seminars are typically research presentations with either researchers at the centre or invited guests, the seminars will be held via Zoom until further notice.
Facts and figures
Facts & Figures
12 Professors
41 PhD and Post docs
17 Assoc. Prof. and lecturers
Our research
Researchers at the centre include a wide range of experts from the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, materials science, cell and molecular biology, mathematics and microbiology. These experts, with overlapping interests, are advancing research in three core areas:
- biobarriers and pharmaceutical design;
- biofilms at interfaces; and
- smart material at interfaces.
Biobarriers and pharmaceutical design
Biobarriers and pharmaceutical design include pharmaceutical formulation, transdermal and mucosal drug delivery as well as hydration of biological interfaces, proteins and nanoporous materials.
The research in detail
Biobarriers
We focus on advancing the knowledge of the key physicochemical properties of biointerfaces, and how they determine the interactions with biomolecules in solutions. In order to achieve this, we develop biomimetic systems that aim at mimicking specific biobarriers in an easily producible and reproducible manner. The biobarriers we are interested in include cellular membranes, plant cell walls and blood vessels. Currently, we are applying these biomimetic systems to improve our understanding of the onset and treatment of various diseases such as atherosclerosis and bacterial infections.
Hydration of biological interfaces, proteins and nanoporous materials
The functional properties of biological materials and nanomaterials are strongly dependent on their interactions with the surrounding environment, where the presence of water in the form of liquid or vapour is inevitable. We have a special interest in nanoporous materials, such as mesoporous silica, and we study their hydration, characterisation and interactions with organic molecules and biomolecules. We also study the hydration of carbohydrate materials, such as cellulose. In the drug delivery field, we work with the interaction of solid excipients with water; hydration of proteins; hydration and phase transitions in lipids; and hydration of biological barriers.
Pharmaceutical formulation
In the development of transdermal and topical formulations it is important to understand how formulation ingredients interact with the molecular components of the skin barrier and thereby influence its macroscopic barrier properties. Our research activities focus on the effects of commonly used excipients and other chemicals, such as penetration enhancers, on the molecular, as well as the macroscopic, properties of the skin membrane. We also investigate how nanomaterials, such as mesoporous silica particles, can be used in controlled release applications. The advantage of mesoporous silica, such as MCM-41 and SBA-15, is that these materials have remarkable properties due to their well-defined structure with tunable pore diameter and narrow pore size distribution, which can be optimised for loading and controlled release of drugs or biomolecules.
Transdermal and mucosal drug delivery
The skin barrier (the stratum corneum) is an effective permeability barrier. Despite this, the skin is an attractive alternative to the oral route for drug delivery because it avoids first pass metabolic degradation, which can be an important advantage for certain drugs. Two common strategies to overcome the skin barrier for increased transdermal drug delivery are to increase skin hydration and add a penetration enhancer. Our research focuses on how hydration affects skin permeability, with and without penetration enhancers. Our approach is to combine several experimental methods to obtain both macroscopic and molecular scale information on how hydration and penetration enhancers influence the stratum corneum.
Biofilms at interfaces
Microorganisms have a strong tendency to associate with surfaces and form adherent microbial communities, known as biofilms. Within this field, we study mechanisms by which bacteria adapt to and survive in the biofilm environment, as well studying the salivary and mucosal barrier.
The research in detail
Biotherapeutics
Bacterial proteases are a driving force for the inflammatory responses involved in both periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. Our aim is to develop advanced technological tools based on an array of biomarkers (bacterial proteases and inflammatory mediators) to aid the identification of individuals at risk of severe alveolar bone loss disease, as well as the prediction and treatment of periodontal disease and associated inflammatory disorders.
Oral microbiology
In any environment, macromolecules and micro-organisms have a strong tendency to associate with surfaces and form adherent microbial communities, so-called biofilms, which are now recognised as the cause of most infectious diseases. Our goal is to understand the mechanisms by which oral bacteria acquire virulence in biofilms and to identify key points of intervention. We anticipate that our results will contribute to the development of future anti-microbials that target disease-inducing properties in biofilms rather than specific microorganisms.
Saliva research
Our main focus is the study of salivary pellicles — the film of nanometric dimensions that forms immediately upon contact of saliva with almost any type of surface. Pellicles play an important role in the maintenance of oral health, as they protect and lubricate oral surfaces. Our aim is to better understand the mechanisms underlying salivary lubrication. We also study the mechanisms underlying the protection offered by salivary pellicles against dental erosion and how this can be improved by complementing acidic beverages with anti-erosive compounds.
The relation between atherosclerosis and periodontal infections
Modified LDL has been suggested as a way to initiate the formation of atherosclerosis by inducing an inflammatory reaction in the vessel wall. Here, we focus on the relationship between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. Our findings, along with those of others, suggest that a common periodontal pathogen can modify LDL and HDL to an atherogenic form during translocation in circulating blood thus supporting a role for periodontal disease in the development of atherosclerosis. We aim to identify key virulence factors and host mediators involved in disease development and to find biomarkers as targets for diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for periodontal and cardiovascular disease.
New methods and instruments
We are developing instruments that will allow structural studies of very thin and soft films under load and shear by means of neutron scattering and reflectometry. This is being carried out in collaboration with ESS and the two other big neutron facilities in Europe. We expect that this will be useful to apply in a broad range of fields, as soft-matter thin films are ubiquitous both in natural and artificial systems, for example, in the macromolecular layers that are often found at the solid/liquid interface in colloidal dispersions and biomedical implants.
Smart materials at interfaces
Smart materials at interfaces include bioelectronics (biosensors and biological power sources), oral implants and artifical biomimicry with biological applications.
The research in detail
Artficial biomimicry
Biomimicry (defined as the imitation of life or nature) is used in biomedicine and biotechnology to develop novel treatments and diagnostic methods. We focus on two major areas within biomimicry. The first being the development of novel diagnostic tools for cancer. And secondly, biomimetic systems for better understanding of the onset and treatment of diseases including atherosclerosis and bacterial infections.
Finding new and better ways to diagnose and treat cancer is one of a pressing task for researchers. Early diagnosis, where the cancer is still curable, is therefore crucial. This emphasises the need for sensitive, robust and affordable diagnostic tools that can sense the cellular state, commonly in the form of tumour-specific protein markers, early on in the process. We are developing and using molecularly imprinted polymers, plastic antibodies and other smart materials to detect and sense previously inaccessible tumour markers and discover novel disease biomarkers.
Biodegradable implants
The treatment of bone fractures and bone defects often requires the placement of metal plates or screws that joins the broken bones and allows them to heal. They are typically made of titanium or stainless steel, which functions well to stabilise the bone. However, as these plates or screws remain in the body, they can cause pain or other complications and often require the patients to undergo more surgery to remove the metal. We are studying implants made of magnesium – a metal with good mechanical properties – because it dissolves in
Biosensors and implantable bioelectronics
Research on biosensors and implantable bioelectronics is focussed on development of specific analytical devices and methods for monitoring clinically relevant analytes and biomarkers, as well as the development of potentially implantable electric power devices. It includes synthesis and characterisation of nanomaterials, development of novel sensing and power generating principles, as well as assessment of biosensor and biofuel cell performance in clinical and implantable situations. Our research strength lies in electrochemical sensors and enzymatic fuel cells. Lately, we have exploited biosensor approaches for the investigation of processes at biological barriers, tested enzymatic fuel cells in human blood under homeostatic conditions, as well as disclosed a new type of bioelectronic device – self-charging biosupercapacitors.
Cancer diagnostics
Finding new and better ways to diagnose and treat cancer is one of the most pressing tasks for researchers today. We use molecularly imprinted polymers to detect, sense and image previously inaccessible tumour markers and discover novel disease biomarkers with the aim of detecting cancer at an early stage.
Mathematical modelling
Scientific computing and simulations of phenomena on micro and macroscopic scales is a field of great scientific importance. General mathematical techniques, such as differential equations, combined with computational methods, allow a very broad range of applications. Our main focus is on three different areas: computational quantum physics; modelling of infectious diseases; and resonance spectrum for stratified media.
New methods and instruments
In collaboration with MAX IV, we are building sample environments to be used in tomography synchrotron beamlines. This will allow the study of how changes in the ambient conditions effect, for example, the structure and morphology of samples that have synthetic or biological origins. We are also developing methods for monitoring the interaction of formulations that comprise, for example, microparticles with biological barriers. These methods have a clear application in non-invasive drug delivery
Researchers, publications and projects
We are always interested in new collaborations with academia and industry. Please contact our researchers if you have any questions.
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JGStaff
Juan Fransisco Gonzales - Researcher
juan.fransisco.gonzales@mau.se -
Staff
Louise Sternbaek - Doctoral student
louise.sternbaek@mau.se -
Staff
Ivan Argatov - Researcher
ivan.argatov@mau.se -
Staff
Ahmed Al Musawi - Doctoral student
ahmed.almusawi@mau.se -
YCStaff
Yubexi Yakari Correa Marcano - Doctoral student
yubexi.correa@mau.se -
SJStaff
Skaidre Jankovskaja - Doctoral student
skaidre.jankovskaja@mau.se -
Staff
Maxim Morin - Doctoral student
maxim.morin@mau.se -
ASStaff
Atefeh Shafaat - Doctoral student
atefeh.shafaat@mau.se -
YZStaff
Yuecheng Zhang - Doctoral student
yuecheng.zhang@mau.se -
HBStaff
Hannah Boyd - Doctoral student
hannah.boyd@mau.se -
TJStaff
Thomas Janssens - Doctoral student
thomas.janssens@mau.se -
AIStaff
Anil Incel - Doctoral student
anil.incel@mau.se -
Staff
Felix Roosen-Runge - Associate senior lecturer
felix.roosen-runge@mau.se -
LMStaff
Liliia Mavliutova - Doctoral student
liliia.mavliutova@mau.se -
Staff
Nicolo Paracini - Postdoc
nicolo.paracini@mau.se -
Staff
Olivia Aherne - Doctoral student
olivia.aherne@mau.se -
Staff
Federica Sebastiani - Project researcher
federica.sebastiani@mau.se -
MFStaff
Magnus Falk - Associate senior lecturer
magnus.falk@mau.se -
Staff
Carolina Robertsson - Doctoral student
carolina.robertsson@mau.se -
Staff
Zahra El-Schich - Researcher
zahra.el-schich@mau.se -
GBStaff
Gabriella Boisen - Doctoral student
gabriella.boisen@mau.se -
YSStaff
Yulia Sergeeva - Postdoc
yulia.sergeeva@mau.se -
LMStaff
Lindsay Richard Merte - Program director/Senior lecturer
lindsay.merte@mau.se -
EBStaff
Ekaterina Bogdanova - Doctoral student
ekaterina.bogdanova@mau.se -
Staff
Bertil Kinnby - Senior lecturer
bertil.kinnby@mau.se -
SBStaff
Sebastian Björklund - Associate Professor
sebastian.bjorklund@mau.se -
AGStaff
Anette Gjörloff Wingren - Professor
anette.gjorloff-wingren@mau.se -
Staff
Petri Gudmundsson - Director of studies/Program director/Senior lecturer
petri.gudmundsson@mau.se -
SGStaff
Silvia Galli - Project researcher
silvia.galli@mau.se -
AIStaff
Alexei Iantchenko - Professor
alexei.iantchenko@mau.se -
UHStaff
Ulf Hejman - Program director/Lecturer
ulf.hejman@mau.se -
OAStaff
Olga Aleksejeva - Postdoc
olga.aleksejeva@mau.se -
Staff
Tautgirdas Ruzgas - Assistant head of dep./Professor
tautgirdas.ruzgas@mau.se -
JSStaff
Javier Sotres Prieto - Researcher
javier.sotres@mau.se -
Staff
Sergey Shleev - Professor
sergey.shleev@mau.se -
Staff
Madeleine Blomqvist - Laboratory engineer
madeleine.blomqvist@mau.se -
AHStaff
Agnethe Henriksson - Biomedical analyst
agnethe.henriksson@mau.se -
Staff
Claes Wickström - Senior lecturer
claes.wickstrom@mau.se -
Staff
Christine Kumlien - Professor
christine.kumlien@mau.se -
Staff
Sabrina Valetti - Associate senior lecturer
sabrina.valetti@mau.se -
Staff
Marite Cardenas - Professor
marite.cardenas@mau.se -
JEStaff
Johan Engblom - Head of department/Professor
johan.engblom@mau.se -
TAStaff
Thomas Arnebrant - Pro Vice Chancellor / Professor
thomas.arnebrant@mau.se -
Staff
Therése Nordström - Director
therese.nordstrom@mau.se -
BCStaff
Bruno Chrcanovic - Reserach fellow
bruno.chrcanovic@mau.se -
Staff
Jessica Neilands - Researcher
jessica.neilands@mau.se -
EMStaff
Enamul Mojumdar - Project researcher
enamul.mojumdar@mau.se -
PFStaff
Peter Falkman - Senior lecturer
peter.falkman@mau.se -
AAStaff
Abdullah Ali - Doctoral student
abdullah.ali@mau.se -
TEStaff
Tommy Eriksson - Professor
tommy.eriksson@mau.se -
MSStaff
Maria Magdalena Stollenwerk - Senior lecturer
maria.stollenwerk@mau.se -
Staff
Börje Sellergren - Professor, directly appointed
borje.sellergren@mau.se -
JBStaff
Jonas Becktor - Senior lecturer/Senior dental officer
jonas.becktor@mau.se -
Staff
Zdenka Prgomet - Biomedical analyst
zdenka.prgomet@mau.se -
Staff
Julia Davies - Professor
julia.davies@mau.se -
GSStaff
Gunnel Svensäter - Professor/Senior dental officer
gunnel.svensater@mau.se -
ENStaff
Emelie Josefina Nilsson - Postdoc
emelie.nilsson@mau.se -
Staff
Vitaly Kocherbitov - Professor
vitaly.kocherbitov@mau.se -
LOStaff
Lars Ohlsson - Associate Professor
lars.ohlsson@mau.se -
Staff
Gabriela Enggren - Senior lecturer
gabriela.enggren@mau.se -
Staff
Anna Gustafsson - Senior lecturer
anna.gustafsson@mau.se
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2021 | Article in journal
Conformation of Myoglobin-Poly(Ethyl Ethylene Phosphate) Conjugates Probed by SANS
Daniela Russo, Christopher J. Garvey, Frederick R Wurm, José Teixeira
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2021 | Article in journal
Peptide discs as precursors of biologically relevant supported lipid bilayers
Alessandra Luchini, Federica Sebastiani, Frederik Grønbæk Tidemand, Krishna Chaithanya Batchu, Mario Campana, Giovanna Fragneto, Marité Cárdenas, Lise Arleth
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2021 | Article in journal
A comparison between the structures of reconstituted salivary pellicles and oral mucin (MUC5B) films.
Hannah Boyd, Juan F Gonzalez-Martinez, Rebecca J L Welbourn, Philipp Gutfreund, Alexey Klechikov, Carolina Robertsson, Claes Wickström, Thomas Arnebrant, Robert Barker, Javier Sotres
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2021 | Article in journal
Toward reliable low-density lipoprotein ultrastructure prediction in clinical conditions
Dainius Jakubauskas, Martin Jensen, Jeppe Lyngsø, Yuanji Cheng, Jan Skov Pedersen, Marité Cárdenas
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2021 | Article in journal
On the calculation of thermodynamic parameters in sorption calorimetric experiments
Vitaly Kocherbitov
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2020 | Conference paper
Semiclassical Surface Wave Tomography of Isotropic Media
Alexei Iantchenko, Marten van de Hoop
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2020 | Article in journal
Prospective observational study of medication reviews in internal medicine wards
Lina Hellström, Tommy Eriksson, Åsa Bondesson
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2020 | Article in journal
Concentration- and pH-Dependent Oligomerization of the Thrombin-Derived C-Terminal Peptide TCP-25.
Ganna Petruk, Jitka Petrlova, Firdaus Samsudin, Rita Del Giudice, Peter J Bond, Artur Schmidtchen
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2020 | Article in journal
Development and validation of a 25-Gene Panel urine test for prostate cancer diagnosis and potential treatment follow-up
Heather Johnson, Jinan Guo, Xuhui Zhang, Heqiu Zhang, Athanasios Simoulis, Alan H B Wu, Taolin Xia, Fei Li, Wanlong Tan, Allan Johnson, Nishtman Dizeyi, Per-Anders Abrahamsson, Lukas Kenner, Xiaoyan Feng, Chang Zou, Kefeng Xiao, Jenny L. Persson, Lingwu Chen
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2020 | Article in journal
The intracellular lipid-binding domain of human Na+/H+ exchanger 1 forms a lipid-protein co-structure essential for activity
Ruth Hendus-Altenburger, Jens Vogensen, Emilie Skotte Pedersen, Alessandra Luchini, Raul Araya-Secchi, Anne H Bendsoe, Nanditha Shyam Prasad, Andreas Prestel, Marité Cardenas, Elena Pedraz-Cuesta, Lise Arleth, Stine F Pedersen, Birthe B Kragelund
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Research project
Bioinspired drug carrier platform for inhalation therapy of antibiotic molecules
sabrina.valetti@mau.se -
Research project
Biobarriers – Health, disorders and healing
johan.engblom@mau.se -
Research project
Nanocapsules and recombinant proteins for nutritious vegan cheese making
marite.cardenas@mau.se -
Research project
Lipid nanoparticles under shear stress require novel flow SANS sample environment
federica.sebastiani@mau.se -
Research project
Reversible self-assembled monolayers for antibody-free purification and ultrasensitive and rapid in situ detection of viruses
yulia.sergeeva@mau.se -
Research project
mHealth in pandemic situations: Smartphone based portable and wearable sensors for COVID-19 diagnostic
sergey.shleev@mau.se -
Research project
Biomimetic surfaces and sensors for detection and inhibition of Covid-19 virus and antibodies
borje.sellergren@mau.se -
Research project
Encapsulation of pharmaceutical proteins in starch microparticles
vitaly.kocherbitov@mau.se -
Research project
The effect of the extracellular lipid organisation on skin barrier function
emelie.m.nilsson@mau.se -
Research project
High performance cost efficient photoelectric biosupercapacitors reproducibly fabricated with industry-scale throughput
sergey.shleev@mau.se -
Research project
NextBioForm – Centre for formulation and processing of biologics
vitaly.kocherbitov@mau.se -
Research project
Bacterial acid tolerance – a new target for fluoridated milk
gunnel.svensater@mau.se -
Research project
Discovery of predictive biomarkers and preventive biotherapeutics for caries and periodontitis
julia.davies@mau.se -
Research project
Wound healing: Importance of endogenous LMW compounds for skin recovery and their use as biomarkers for diagnostic purpose
enamul.mojumdar@mau.se -
Research project
Wireless biosensors based on oxidation and reduction of nanoparticles
tautgirdas.ruzgas@mau.se -
Research project
Regulation of Surface Protein - Presentation on Streptococcus gordonii
gunnel.svensater@mau.se -
Research project
Porous drug carrier platform for inhalation of antibiotic molecules
sabrina.valetti@mau.se -
Research project
Structure, Composition and Dynamics of Lipoproteins: How to Get New Clinical Markers for Atherosclerosis
marite.cardenas@mau.se -
Research project
Low-cost wireless sensors for early detection of wound infection
javier.sotres@mau.se -
Research project
Revert - Targeted therapy for advanced colorectal cancer patients
anette.gjorloff-wingren@mau.se -
Research project
Lipid nanoparticles-protein interactions: How to tune the formulation and improve the therapeutic performance
federica.sebastiani@mau.se -
Research project
Dynamic self assembled monolayers as cell membrane mimics and their interactions with cells and pathogens
borje.sellergren@mau.se -
Research project
Neutron scattering and selective deuteration for elucidating how lipids regulate metabolon formation
marite.cardenas@mau.se -
Research project
Scattering in Confined and Sheared Geometries
javier.sotres@mau.se -
Research project
Non-invasive monitoring of skin disorders progression and healing – a low molecular weight biomarker approach
johan.engblom@mau.se -
Research project
Nanoporous silica particles for pharmaceutical formulations
sabrina.valetti@mau.se -
Research project
Detection and imaging of circulating tumour cells – a novel approach using nanoprobes and microscopy as diagnostic tools
anette.gjorloff-wingren@mau.se -
Research project
Detection and sensing of predictive biomarkers for periodontitis
borje.sellergren@mau.se -
Research project
Phase field modeling: crack-induced third-phase formation in bi-material systems
Programmes and platforms
Research Schools
Organisation and Partners
Advisory Board
Cristina Glad, CEO, Chairperson, C Glad Consulting AB
Gunnel Svensäter, Professor of Oral Health, Faculty of Odontology
Martina Kvist Reimer, Executive Vice President, Red Glead Discovery
Sven Frökjaer, Vice-Dean, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen
Thomas Arnebrant, Professor of Biointerfaces, Vice Dean, Faculty of Heath and Society
Tomas Lundqvist, Senior Coordinator Research Infrastructures, RISE — Research Institutes of Sweden
Ulf G Andersson, CEO, Medeon Science Park & Incubator
Industry partners
- A1M Pharma AB
- Adroit Science AB
- Akzo Noble Pulp and Performance Chemicals AB
- Alligator Bioscience AB
- AlzeCure Discovery AB
- Amano Enzyme Inc
- ArgusEye AB
- AstraZeneca AB
- BioGaia AB
- Bioglan AB
- Biotage AB
- Bona AB
- Camurus AB
- CapSenze HB
- Chemotechnique Diagnostics AB
- Chromalytica AB
- Corigo AB
Covercast AB
- CR Competence AB
- CTC Clinical Trial Consultants AB
- Delta of Sweden AB
- Dentsply A/S
- EmeritiPharma AB
- Enzymatica AB
- Erco Pharma AB
- Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd
- Galenica AB
- Genovis AB
- GE Healthcare AB
- G&T Septech A/S
- Idogen AB
- ImaGene-iT AB
- IBM Svenska AB
- Iconovo AB
- In vitro Plant-tech AB
- KEMET AB
- Larodan AB
- Lipidor AB
- Magle Chemoswed AB
- MediGelium AB
- Nanologica AB
- Nordiska Dental AB
- Novosense AB
- Novozymes A/S
- Obducat Technologies AB
- Orexo AB
- Pampett AB
- PEAS Institut AB
- Perrigo Nordic AB
- Promimic AB
- Phase Holographic Imaging AB
- Proteome Sciences, UK
- QPharma AB
- ReSyn Biosciences, South Africa
- RISE AB
- RISE Acreo AB
Samsung, South Korea
Connect with us
Open Lab
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Open Lab is currently part of Open Lab Skåne, an EU funded project.
News - Open Lab Skåne
The Open Lab Skåne project has been granted funding for three more years until February 2023! Open Lab Skåne is a collaboration between Malmö University, Lund University and SmiLe Incubator. The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Region Skåne. In addition, Open Lab Skåne is supported by Medeon and Medicon Village.
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