MIP successfully launched in Vienna
Find out what happened at the MIP launch ceremony in Vienna
The Medical Innovation Program (MIP) for human reproduction was launched on the 25th of June 2019 in Vienna, during ESHRE 2019, and the program is now accepting applications!
What happened at launch?
The MIP launch was celebrated with talks by industry and academic experts, followed by a networking session. Jan Kirsten, Thomas D’Hooghe and Salvatore Longobardi from Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany welcomed the crowd, who filled the room, and introduced the MIP, highlighting the reasons that make it different from any other program of its kind. They explained the concept of open innovation, the translational model the MIP uses, which is rooted in co-creation and collaboration between industry and academia.
Prof. Paolo Netti, the director of the University of Naples Federico II, the first component of MIP’s technical supporting platform, presented the various enabling technologies offered by the program, that will accelerate research translation and help bring innovations to life.
medDigital, the team who developed the MIP website and are supporting the administration of the program, presented the functionalities of this platform and how it helps to create an ecosystem where participants can connect and interact with each other and manage their project progress.
The session closed with talks from two researchers, Prof. Riccardo Talevi and Dr Marco Alves, introducing the technologies they want to develop to meet some of the most important unmet medical needs in fertility and who are excited to apply for support from the MIP. The evening session sparked excitement and discussions that were continued in a networking session.
What did the experts say?
A key theme during the evening was the concept of co-creation through the MIP. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is committed to bringing the best innovations for fertility patients to the clinic and are convinced that only joint efforts will drive product development successfully. The discussions revolved around open innovation as the model that enables cross-functional collaboration to facilitate research translation.
Moreover, the attendees recognised the benefits of the community the MIP is building. They agreed that researchers and industry experts are missing the right environment where they can connect and work together, and expressed enthusiasm that the MIP will help to make this a reality, through the MIP platform. Interest in applying was evident, which reaffirmed that the MIP is what the human reproduction community needs. Will you be part of this mission?