On November 27, the meeting “CoLABs in Health: the impact of collaborative research and innovation on society” was held at the Rectory of the New University of Lisbon.
The event brought together participants from all over the country, including the Secretary of State for Health, Ana Povo, the National Innovation Agency (ANI), the President of the National Council of Clinical Academic Centers, José Fragata, associates, partners and stakeholders from the sector in an enriching meeting that demonstrated how interdisciplinary collaboration can tackle pressing health challenges.
The main objective of the event was to discuss the relevance and impact of Collaborative Laboratories (CoLABs) on the health innovation ecosystem in Portugal. It highlighted the role of CoLABs as a driver of innovation, capable of transforming knowledge into practical solutions for patients and the health system, as well as identifying opportunities for collaboration and developing solutions that respond to the needs of patients and health professionals.
During 4LifeLAB’s presentation, Luís Maia, Business Development Director, gave an overview of the first year of activity. Francisco Serdoura, CEO of 4LifeLAB and a doctor at the Unidade Local de Saúde São João (ULS São João), represented this partner on the panel “Experiences of collaboration between CoLABs and the health sector”. Based on his experience, he stressed the fundamental role of CoLabs as a bridge between science and healthcare, emphasizing their ability to develop innovative medical devices that contribute to the well-being of the population.
After the speeches, it was concluded that the consolidation of CoLABs, with government support and the active participation of companies, academia, the social sector and healthcare providers, will contribute to the country’s international competitiveness, boosting the development of cutting-edge technologies and solutions for healthcare through this collaboration between the different players.
The event was an initiative of Value for Health CoLAB and was jointly organized by 4LifeLAB, Vector B2B, CoLAB Accelbio, CoLAB TRIALS, CoLAB4Ageing, AquaValor CoLAB and ABC CoLAB.
