That Human Touch - Health Innovation in (West) Sweden

What does it take to bridge groundbreaking science, clinical medicine and global biotech innovation? Dr. Li-ming Gan is a physician scientist, professor and CEO of Ribocure Pharmaceuticals, where he leads the development of next-generation RNA therapeutics. With more than 20 years of experience from AstraZeneca, where he held senior leadership roles in cardiovascular, renal and metabolism R&D,...

What lies behind a career dedicated to improving healthcare through data? From growing up in Bosnia and Herzegovina during wartime to building a successful career in Sweden, Aldina Pivodic’s story is one of resilience, courage and determination. Today, she is CEO and founder of APNC, a fast-growing consultancy at the forefront of medical statistics and life science research. With an MSc in Mathema...

Professor Ann-Marie Wennberg Larkö is a pioneer in Swedish healthcare and truly embodies the fusion of visionary leadership and compassionate care. As the former CEO of Sahlgrenska University Hospital, she led one of Northern Europe’s largest hospitals through a transformative era—embracing digitalization, AI, and innovation while never losing sight of the human experience in care. In this convers...

In this episode, we’re diving into the world of digital health—where data, AI, and groundbreaking technology are transforming patient care and medical research. Jamie is joined by Jonathan Converse , Project Manager at Chalmers Industriteknik and Head of the Digital Health Arena in GoCo Health Innovation City. Jonathan is at the forefront of data-driven innovation in life sciences, helping to shap...

Moa Dicksdotter is the Community Manager at GoCo Health Innovation City. Moa is instrumental in fostering a vibrant and collaborative environment at GoCo, an exciting new hub for life science innovation. With a strong focus on corporate relations and site activation, Moa ensures that researchers, industry professionals and academics can come together to collaborate and drive forward-thinking solut...

Björn Wikhamn was our first drop-in pod guest at the recent GoCo Open House at GoCo Health Innovation City . Björn is a professor of management and organization at the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg. His research interests primarily lie in the organization of innovation processes across organizational boundaries. In this "no-planning-no-preparation" interview...

In this episode, we delve into the cutting-edge of life sciences with a special focus on Business Region Göteborg's seven life science trends 2024. Joining Jamie are Iris Öhrn and Christian Borg from Business Region Göteborg , and Petter Björquist, CEO of Verigraft . Together, we'll explore the context for the development ofthe seven key trends, how they are being applied and how they are shaping...

Jeanette Edblad is Head of the Swedish Government’s Life Science Office. She is at the forefront of updating the national life science strategy for Sweden, aimed at addressing current challenges and setting the path for future innovations in life science. Jeanette joins us on the line from the Government Offices in Sweden to discuss: Progress on the updated life science strategy, Reflections on he...

In this special episode, Jamie is joined by Sandra Carrasco Limeros, Sara Sanchez-Heredero Martínez and Martin Priessner – the dynamic trio that came up with the idea for the HackHERHealth femtech hackathon. Hailing from Spain and Austria and now based in Gothenburg, these three AstraZeneca talents bring a unique blend of passion for technology, life science, and gender equality. They're the brain...

Dr. Mikael Kubista is a globally renowned figure in the world of molecular diagnostics and biotechnology. He's a pioneer in real time quantitative PCR - that's polymerase chain reaction, a revolutionary technique that has transformed our understanding of molecular biology. But not only is Dr. Kubista a leading scientist, he's also an entrepreneur, having founded several successful biotech companie...

Boubou Hallberg is the recently appointed Chief Executive Officer for Sahlgrenska University Hospital. He has a background as a pediatric and neonatal doctor and researcher, as well as long experience of healthcare leadership. In this episode, we cover topics including: the exciting challenges of healthcare transformation the ambition for Sahlgrenska to be Europe's leading university hospital by 2...

00:00 to 43:25 - Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) are at the forefront of global scientific innovation in healthcare. Kristina Levan is a project manager in Region Västra Götaland with a special focus on precision medicine and ATMPs both on national and regional levels in Sweden. Kristina shares her perspectives on the opportunities & challenges to bring ATMPs to the patients that n...

Maggie Holme is Assistant Professor, Chemical Biology at Chalmers University of Technology . A native of Scotland, Maggie has lived, studied and worked in numerous countries before settling in Gothenburg, Sweden. Besides leading her lab at Chalmers studying nanoparticles formulated from lipids, Maggie has been a driving force behind the FormulaEx project; a Swedish Foundation for Strategic Researc...

In this first episode, Matti Ahlqvist, Executive Director for AstraZeneca Gothenburg, shares his perspective on why the health innovation ecosystem in West Sweden is a cool place to be right now. Matti highlights some of the exciting investments and initiatives ongoing in the region and explains how and why collaboration is important to AstraZeneca. Other topics include the future of healthcare; w...