July 25, 2019 | Jola Glotzer
The CBC shines in Austria!
CBC Executive Director, Jim Audia, among 8 high-ranking US academic representatives invited to visit Austria as part of the US Marshall delegation
The George C. Marshall Visit to Austria, May 13-17, 2019.
From the left: Vladimir Bezrookove, California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, Giovanni Gadda, Georgia State University, Bruce Palfey, The University of Michigan, Jim Audia, CBC, Peter Sedlmayer, ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA – Austrian Trade Commission Chicago, Sandra Vidak, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Maureen Herrmann, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Claudia Schmidt-Dannert, University of Minnesota and Andrew Koff, Sloan Kettering Institute. Photo courtesy of ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA USA.
The CBC is proud to share that Jim Audia, CBC Executive Director, was honored this year with an invitation to participate in “The 2019 George C. Marshall Visit to Austria”!
The Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation supports cooperation between Austrian and American universities and researchers. Every year, the program “The George C. Marshall Visit to Austria” brings around 10 high-caliber participants from academia, academic research, decision-makers from business, politics and think tanks on different topics to Austria. The aim is to network with Austrian representatives from the same areas and to explore possible bilateral cooperation.
This year’s George C. Marshall Visit to Austria took place May 13 – 17, 2019. The program was dedicated to the topic of “Life Sciences – Human and Biotechnology,” and included visiting four Austrian cities: Vienna, Graz, Klosterneuburg and Krems.
The 2019 US delegation consisted of eight distinguished guests and, in addition to Jim Audia, included Vladimir Bezrookove (California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute), Giovanni Gadda (Georgia State University), Bruce Palfey (The University of Michigan), Sandra Vidak (National Cancer Institute, NIH), Maureen Herrmann (Harvard Stem Cell Institute), Claudia Schmidt-Dannert, (University of Minnesota) and Andrew Koff (Sloan Kettering Institute).
The US delegation was accompanied by the Austrian representation led by Peter Sedlmayer (ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA – Austrian Trade Commission Chicago).
The five day visit was full to the brim with variety of meetings and presentations. The program began with an Introduction Workshop — “Austrian Life Science Industries” — held at the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber in Vienna. It was followed by a round table discussion with representatives of Austrian research organizations and Austrian companies in the field of life sciences and short presentations by Austrian companies/organizations. The evening and the next day were dedicated to visiting the Vienna Biocenter — an impressive life science hub encompassing 4 research institutes, 3 universities and 24 biotech companies. Touring the world-famous Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), sponsored by the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany) and its sister Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), highlighted the excellence of the science conducted at the Vienna Biocenter. This vibrant cluster containing a broad range of trades with many synergies certainly resembles, as remarked by Jim Audia, what the CBC — a collaborative effort of three Chicago universities, UIC, NU and UChicago — is charged with in its mission: to build a life science hub in Chicago.
The final two days of the visit were dedicated to exploring the universities, research centers and biotech companies in other Austrian cities Graz, Klosterneuburg and Krems.
Although packed with the business encounters, the program also allowed the US delegation to explore the Austrian cities on their own to enjoy the rich history and incredible architecture. Austrian cuisine and wine tasting nicely complemented and completed the Austrian experience for the US guests.
As Jim reflected afterwards, it was a trip full of learning and networking. The CBC concept, its mission and the accomplishments to-date were received with great interest. The differences and similarities between the CBC and the Vienna Biocenter were vividly discussed. Jim also introduced the CBC’s newest award program, the Entrepreneurial Fellows Award, which was also listened to with attention. Perhaps one day, we can count on receiving an Austrian Fellow application!
The CBC is grateful to the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation to be included in this unparalleled opportunity to travel to Austria and to have a chance to learn about Austrian science and biotechnology, to exchange ideas and perhaps even to form new collaborations.
Enjoy a few photos from the 2019 George C. Marshall Visit to Austria, courtesy of ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA!
See also:
▸ Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation
▸ ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA
▸ 2019 US Delegation Participants
▸ The George C. Marshall Visit to Austria 2019 Program
▸ US Marshall delegation visits BBMRI.at Partner Med Uni Graz and Biobank Graz