IISc in pact with Karolinska Institute of Sweden

Bangalore, Mar 2 (UNI) The prestigious Indian Institute of Science (IISc) here today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Karolinska Institute in Sweden, one of Europe's largest medical universities, to work together in the area of bio-sciences.

Swedish Ambassador to India Ms Inga Erikson Fogh told a press conference here that the MoU was preceded by a bilateral trade agreement signed between Sweden and India recently to forge partnership in the field of Science and Technology.

Karolinska Institute President Prof Harriet Wallberg-Henriksson, who also spoke on the occasion, said it was decided to work together with IISc on various faculties, including bios-ciences and bio-engineering. The MoU included exchange of scientists and PhD students, and finding research projects that Karolinska Institute could collaborate with IISc. As a first step, Karolinska Institute and IISc would jointly organise a two-day workshop on 'Innovation in Life Sciences' here in collaboration with VINNOVA and the Embassy of Sweden.

She said Karolinska Institute wanted to forge strategic cooperation across the world to work together in the field of basic and clinical sciences for the benefit of mankind. It had such collaborative understanding with many US institutes and also with China and Singapore.

Acknowledging that India had emerged a leader in the field of information technology and bio-technology, she said there was immense scope for both the nations to work together.

IISc Chairman (International Relations) Prof Rahul Pandit, who also spoke, said the recent bilateral agreement between India and Sweden had enabled IISc to work out strategic partnership with premier institutions of foreign countries. IISc would also conduct research to fight diseases like diabetes and HIV. It would also help to conduct field trials of certain drugs developed jointly.

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