The Oslo Cancer Cluster- a new approach to accelerating cancer innovations

The Oslo Cancer Cluster- a new approach to accelerating cancer innovations
Cancer research and treatment in Norway is ranked amongst the highest in Europe. This is due to a number of factors ranging from an advanced health system with concentrated specialised resources to highly efficient outpatient and follow-up services which enable sophisticated cancer registries to be created and maintain. Now, following the example of leading centres in the US such as Sloan Kettering, MD Anderson and others, a new project has been started to interact more closely with industry. The Oslo Cancer Cluster is gathering Life Science companies and academic research institutions in the greater Oslo Region to join forces. The goal is to become the most attractive Research Based Industrial Cluster in Europe for Cancer Diagnostics and Treatment Innovations by 2015 with representatives across the whole value chain – from biobanks and registries, through diagnostics and imaging to drug development and delivery. The project has already attracted considerable international attention and has just been awarded NCE (Norwegian Centres of Expertise) status by the Norwegian government.

The Oslo Cancer Cluster
Cancer researchers in Norway have an idealism that is not often found elsewhere.  But they also realize the importance of commercializing their work, so that it can benefit patients as soon as possible.  Jonas Einarsson, CEO of the Radium Hospital Research Foundation, is busy building the Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC), which aims to become ‘the most innovative and creative cluster in Europe for cancer diagnostics and treatment ’ by 2015.