Academia Meets Industry: The Idea-to-Product Pipeline
© University of Freiburg
How do we ensure that today’s pharmaceutical and medical graduates are prepared to collaborate with industry? And how do we foster connections between universities and key industrial partners? The “Academia Meets Industry” association in Freiburg approaches these challenges by developing partnerships between the University of Freiburg’s pharmaceutical programs and key industry partners in the region of Baden-Württemberg and beyond. How might these lessons learned be useful as other universities wrestle with similar challenges and strive to develop synergies?
Event Information
April 12, 2024, 1:15 PM to 3:15 PM
The Penn Club of New York
Organizer(s): University of Freiburg Liaison Office North America, Academia meets Industry, DWIH New York
We will hear from Prof. Dr. med. Helmut Laaff, one of the chairs of “Academia Meets Industry” e.V. as well as the founder of DermatoHistological Laboratory Freiburg and a lecturer in the University of Freiburg’s pharmaceutical sciences program.
This is a closed meeting. Individuals interested in attending should contact Marta Millar at liaison-office@zv.uni-freiburg.de with a short statement of their interest and CV.
Our Speaker
Helmut Laaff has been running the private DermatoHistological Laboratory (DHL) in Freiburg since 1992. Over the years, the portfolio expanded to include methods of general pathology, hematopathology and molecular pathology. Consequently, in 2020 the DermatoHistological Laboratory changed its name to the Institute for Dermatohistology Pathology Molecular Pathology Prof. Dr. Helmut Laaff.
Helmut Laaff initially studied medicine in Tübingen and Rio de Janeiro. He completed his medical residency at the Institute of Clinical Pathology and the Department of Dermatology and Venereology in Freiburg. Afterwards he stayed abroad in NYC to specialize as a dermatopathologist.
In his free time, he enjoys skiing and mountaineering. In 2012, he climbed the Seven Summits – the highest mountain on each of the seven continents.
About “Academia Meets Industry” e.V.
In 2016, Prof. A. Bechthold (University of Freiburg) and Prof H. Pfundner (Roche Pharma AG) created the idea of a new specialty line “Regulatory Affairs & Drug Development” within the existing Master’s degree program in Pharmaceutical Sciences. There is a need in the industry for university graduates with sound knowledge in the areas of pharmaceutical drug development and regulatory affairs.
These topics are usually underrepresented in existing university programs of pharmacy, life sciences and medicine. As a result, graduates from all faculties have difficulties finding employment within these areas of the pharmaceutical industry. Following the creation of the specialty “Regulatory Affairs & Drug Development ”, the association, Academia Meets Industry e.V” was founded at the end of 2017. The major aim of this organization is to support talented young students in their education and facilitate a network between students, university personnel and industry representatives.