Global connections

Almost by definition, science is an international endeavour, pushed further by the power to access and share data and knowledge generated anywhere in the world. International networks and collaborations are at the heart of research, no matter whether if it is basic science or if it explicitly pursues a traslational approach.

Likewise, business is also -and more than ever- a global enterprise, where competitiveness has been recently related to the redesign of strategies adapted to the so-called "flat world" paradigm associated to the 21st century. This "flat world" is the result of the confluence of technology, globalisation, demographics and regulation. For corporations, success (in this global world) "is less about what the company can do itself and more about what it can connect to".

Linking people, organisations, ideas and results that span the globe is a must also for life sciences and the bioeconomy, as a means to furthering advances and delivering solutions that meet the social and economic demands –that span the globe as well. This approach revolving around global connections pervades the Bio 2010 convention recently held in Chicago, in which the Basque BioRegion successfully participated in once again.

Global connections, however, can be understood from a variety of angles, all of which are vital to the development of Life Sciences.

We can consider the connections between basic and applied research and between these and clinical research. Consider as well connecting academic and industrial interests. And recognise the impact of interdisciplinary and technological convergence approaches, the collaborative and translational research, as well as the entrepreneurship culture that fosters innovation through the creation of start-ups. Some illustrative examples of connections can be found in this newsletter, ranging from collaborative efforts (between hospitals and technology or research centres; and between pharmaceutical and biotech companies), to clinical studies and research results transformed in commercialised products.

Of course, global connections are virtually embodied through the numerous international collaborations that pursue specific scientific questions -one example being the connection found between Alzheimer’s and prion diseases, as well as by the networks established to tackle complex and ambitious problems, or to facilitate research, like the SYSGENET network, for instance.

Also, the permanent contacts the researchers maintain build a rich system that facilitates development around the globe. A good example would be the appointment of Professor Goñi as President of the American Biophysical Society’s International Relations Committee.

An even more "physical" global connection is provided by the mobility of highly qualified persons, who carry their contacts, experience and culture to every new organisation they work for. The incorporation of talent from diverse geographical origins has been, and still is, key to the success of many countries. Let’s simply remember that 75% of US scientific papers are written by non-Americans (and that 50% of Silicon Valley start-ups are created by immigrants).

For smaller countries, with a limited pool of research talent, attracting talent is certainly a competitive need. The interview with Prof. Cossío from Ikerbasque dwells on this subject, something that has merited specific attention in the last years and explains the fact that some Basque companies and research centres home as many as fifteen different nationalities, with English as their common working language.

In summary, whether in the corporate or scientific realm; in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s words "our knowledge is the amassed thought and experience of innumerable minds". So let´s connect!