VASCage presented itself as a new research centre and company to the life science community with a spectacular kickoff meeting. Around 200 participants filled the lecture hall at the Landeskrankenhaus Innsbruck.
The province of Tyrol was represented by Landesrat Bernhard Tilg who gave a very warm welcome speech as well as the rectors of Medical University Innsbruck and University Innsbruck, Prof. Wolfgang Fleischhacker and Prof. Tilmann Märk.
The highlight of the public part of the meeting was the impressive keynote lecture „Stroke – a global challenge“ of Prof. Michael Brainin, President of the World Stroke Organization. He alerted the audience on stroke as a global epidemic, highlighted its relevance for low and middle income countries, revealed the alarming connection to air pollution and outlined hopeful approaches and concepts such as the polypill.
The afternoon was reserved for a first comprehensive internal meeting with company and scientific partners from many countries and with the VASCage management and employees. Ingrid Fleischhacker as a representative of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG gave an overview of the COMET programme. Stefan Kiechl and Matthias Ullrich explained goals, internal structure and processes of the centre. All projects were briefly presented. A special focus was laid on the company partners who were asked on stage for a lively podium discussusion moderated by Lisa Spöck from Standortagentur Tirol.
Time for networking was during the breaks and the cosy final. All participants engaged in intensive discussions and established contacts. Participants took not only information, but also personal connections, interactions and impressions home as a valuable welcome package. So the meeting marked a first big step into networking and knowledge exchange, both of which are key features of VASCage.
Images © VASCage/M. Knoflach
