TTL - in retrospect and in the time to come

- TTL has met and exceeded all my expectations! I am very pleased with the partners and people involved, and with their enthusiasm and ambitions for the consortium, he says.

This is a snapshot from Snow, a symptombased infection surveillance system developed at TTL/NST.

Keys to success

Hartvigsen points out several reasons for TTL’s success: the rising number of papers published, the increased cooperation with the university hospital, the multiple possibilities for commercialization of products, and the will of partners to invest even more time and resources in the centre’s research projects.

- We also have very attractive, functional and welcoming office areas available for the people affiliated with TTL. We see that our partners value the possibility to do research here and to be a part of our academic environment, and that they make use of this space to a larger extent, says Hartvigsen.

Diabetes diary on your smart phone and mesuring of blood glucose by bluetooth makes it easier to manage a chronic disease like diabetes. Photo: Jarl Stian Olsen, NST

Increase activity

The scientific leader believes that the composition of partners in TTL is quite appropriate:

- It reflects the reality of Norwegian industry, with a few large actors and many small ones.

In the time to come, TTL will be seeking new business partners, as its mandate includes expanding during the eight-year contract period, as well as being able to attract new affiliates.

- Important stakeholders in the field of lifestyle diseases, who can contribute and provide support on decisions in this specific area, will be of particular interest to us in the next project period, as many of our projects concern chronically ill patients, Hartvigsen explains.

In addition to this focus, TTL will use the following period to increase the international activity even more. TTL also envisages an extension of some kind after 2014, when the present contract expires.

- At this point, it is important to lay the best possible foundation for a continuation of the good work that is being done at this centre, Hartvigsen stresses.

About TTL

TTL was established in 2006 as a Centre for Research Based Innovation (SFI). The centre combines human caring with new technologies, in order to provide better health care and reduce the increasing burden on the health care system.

The Research Council of Norway's programme of Centres for Research-based Innovation (Senter for Forskningsbasert Innovasjon - SFI) is intended to build up or strengthen Norwegian research communities that work in close interaction with innovative business and industry.

The objective is to support long-term research that promotes innovation and competitiveness in the business sector.