The VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the Molecular Sciences Institute (MSI) have joined forces to establish a new research center in Berkeley, California.

The new VTT/MSI Center for Bioengineering will focus on cutting edge quantitative biology to develop novel strategies for the improved production of bio-based chemicals and proteins in industrial microbes and novel quantitative tools for the detection of toxins, chemicals and biomarkers of disease.

The mission of the research center is to enable the quantitative prediction of the behavior of biological systems. VTT as a member organization of the new institute will provide its frontier knowhow on industrial biotechnology and technological needs for the basic molecular level research carried out at the institute. The aim of the center is to have a positive effect on human health and well-being in addition to the bioeconomy.

“The new center generates basic science which will strengthen VTT’s offering in the field of industrial biotechnology”, says Erkki KM Leppävuori, president & CEO of VTT. “Industrial biotechnology is of high quality at VTT and in Finland. This new opportunity for collaboration is an important bridge between the Californian and European academic as well as industrial network”.