IMI at the European Parliament

Start Date 06/10/2011

In a 'more-than-filled' conference room in the European Parliament in Brussels, IMI presented its achievements on Thursday 6 October 2011. The session, which was kindly hosted by Mr Mario Mauro, MEP, highlighted the impressive achievements of IMI projects.

IMI session at the European Parliament, 6 October 2011. Photo - Simon PughIn the presentations (available below), high-level stakeholders as well as participants in IMI projects demonstrated to policy makers, the media and others how IMI is helping to speed up the development of safer, more effective drugs in areas as diverse as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, depression, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), infectious diseases and much more.

During the networking lunch that followed, session participants expressed their excitement about the achievements presented.

The IMI conference formed part of a wider event, involving five Joint Technology Initiatives (JTIs) – IMI, FCH JU (fuel cells and hydrogen), Clean Sky (greener aviation), Artemis (embedded computing systems), and ENIAC JU (nanoelectronics).

The joint event demonstrated the success of the public-private partnership model in driving research and innovation in diverse sectors across Europe. The joint event also featured an exhibition and press conference which were hosted by Ms Maria da Graça Carvalho, MEP.

The joint JTI press conference. Photo - Simon PughThe joint JTI press conference. L-R: Andreas Wild (ENIAC), Eric Schutz (Artemis), Zoran Stancic (European Commission, DG Information Society and Media), Maria de Graça Carvalho, MEP, Robert-Jan Smits (European Commission, DG Research and Innovation), Bert De Colvenaer (FCH JU), Michel Goldman (IMI), Ron Van Manen (Clean Sky). Photo - Simon Pugh
 

IMI session presentations

Introducing IMI
Rudolph Strohmeier, Chair of the IMI Governing Board, Deputy Director-General Research Programmes, DG for Research and Innovation, European Commission

Why IMI matters to the EU's health research goals
Maria José Vidal-Ragout, Head of the Medical Research Unit, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission

Why IMI matters to Europe's pharmaceutical industry
Magda Chlebus, Director Science Policy, EFPIA

Why IMI matters to Patients
Dr Mary Baker, European Brain Council; President European Federation of Neurological Associations

Introduction to IMI Achievements
Michel Goldman, Executive Director, IMI JU

A new tool to identify heart-friendly drugs
Professor Ferran Sanz, eTOX, Fundació IMIM

Towards a cure for diabetes
Dr Anne-Fabienne Weitsch, IMIDIA, Endocells

Relief for sufferers of chronic pain
Professor Stephen McMahon, Europain, King's College London

First EU training programme in pharmacovigilance/phamacoepidemiology
Dr Deborah Szafir, Eu2P, F. Hoffman-La Roche