Under the agreement, early-career scientists from academic institutions worldwide are invited to submit original project proposals in the field of epigenetics and COPD. Boehringer Ingelheim and BioMed X will jointly select the best ideas and life science talents to form a new research group within BioMed X’s open innovation lab in Heidelberg, Germany. BioMed X has developed an innovation model that includes a project plan competition, a funding package, entrepreneurial education, and guidance by experienced mentors from academia and Boehringer Ingelheim. BioMed X’s open innovation lab is part of the life science campus of the University of Heidelberg. BioMed X will be responsible for recruitment of the new research group, the operation of the innovation center facility, providing entrepreneurial education and enabling access to the Heidelberg scientific community and research facilities.

The BioMed X Innovation Center works on preclinical research projects in the fields of biomedicine, molecular biology, cell biology, and bioinformatics. These interdisciplinary project teams typically are sponsored by a corporate pharma or biotech partner of BioMed X. After a fully funded project term of two to four years, successful projects are either internalized into the development pipeline of the respective pharma or biotech sponsor or spun off into an independent startup company.

Source: BioMed X