Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, leading a debate on health data during EHiN 2019. Photo: Ard Jongsma / Still Words Photography

The IT-revolution in oncology

This article was first published in Teknisk Ukeblad in Norwegian on 23 June 2020. Scroll down for a version in Norwegian.

EHiN, E-Health in Norway, is Norway’s largest conference on the digitalization of the health sector. Save the date 10-11 November 2020!

“At EHiN you will meet the key players of the health sector, politicians and decision-makers,” said Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.

EHiN has proven to be an important arena to gather the industry, the public sector and the research environment around the digitalization of the health sector.

“During two days, we will learn from one another and share knowledge about technological solutions to benefit the health service and individual patients. This creates a basis for further collaboration,” Widerberg said.

Oslo Cancer Cluster is a non-profit member organization that connects public and private key players in cancer research and a Norwegian Centre of Expertise since 2009. Oslo Cancer Cluster is a collaboration partner in EHiN.

Artificial intelligence changes cancer treatments

Digitalisation is a central area in cancer research and the advent of precision medicine demands that different academic disciplines work closely together. Using artificial intelligence will be important to develop new treatments.

“Artificial intelligence will change how we treat cancer. It is about understanding cancer. The same way that a microscope can show us what cells look like, AI can help us to discover patterns we never would have seen otherwise.

“This makes it possible to give patients personalized treatments because we can identify how the patient will react to the treatment. Eventually, modern machine learning systems will make the treatments even better.

“The goal is to give the right treatment to the right patient at the right time,” Widerberg explained.

The IT-revolution in the oncology field is also of great interest to the tech industry. It is about handling enormous amounts of health data through storage, analysis, machine learning, pattern detection and secure connections between different data sources.

“Personalized medicine, genetics and the use of health data is quickly developing into one of the most important areas in digital health.”
Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.

“EHiN wishes in collaboration with Oslo Cancer Cluster to build Norway as an important international hub in the area of e-health,” Widerberg said.

The programme for EHiN 2020 is currently under development. Information about the venue and ticket sales will be announced at a later date. Please visit the official EHiN website for updates on how corona affects EHiN 2020.

 


IT-REVOLUSJON PÅ ONKOLOGIFELTET

EHiN, EHelse i Norge, er Norges største konferanse om digitalisering i helsesektoren. – Merk deg datoene 10. og 11. november allerede nå.

På EHiN møter du de fremste aktørene i helsesektoren, politikere og beslutningstakere, sier Ketil Widerberg, daglig leder i Oslo Cancer Cluster.
EHiN har vist seg å være en viktig arena for å samle næringsliv, offentlig sektor og forskning rundt digitalisering av helsesektoren.

– I to dager i  skal vi lære av hverandre og dele kunnskap om teknologiløsninger til det beste for helsevesen og enkeltpasienter. Det skaper grobunn for videre samarbeid, poengterer Widerberg.

Han forteller at Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC) er en non-profit medlemsorganisasjon som samler offentlige og private aktører innen kreftforskning, og et Norwegian Centre of Expertise. OCC er samarbeidspartner i EHiN.

Presisjonsmedisin

Presisjonsmedisin krever ifølge Widerberg at forskjellige fag-grener jobber tett sammen, og digitalisering er et sentralt område innenfor kreft. Han trekker frem betydningen av kunstig intelligens (AI).

– AI vil endre kreftbehandlingen. Det handler om å forstå kreften. På samme måte som mikroskopet tar oss helt ned på cellenivå, vil AI hjelpe oss til å se et mønster vi aldri ellers ville oppdaget. Dette gjør det mulig å gi pasienter individbasert behandling – nettopp fordi vi kan se et mønster på hvordan pasienten reagerer på behandlingen. Etter hvert vil moderne selvlærende datasystemer gjøre behandlingsmetodene bedre.
Målet er å gi den rette behandlingen til den rette pasienten til rett tid, forklarer Widerberg.

IT-revolusjonen på onkologifeltet har også stor interesse for IT-bransjen. Det handler blant annet om å håndtere enorme mengder helsedata gjennom lagring, analyse, maskinlæring, mønstergjenkjenning og sikker kobling av forskjellige datakilder.

– Persontilpasset medisin, genetikk og bruk av helsedata utvikler seg snart til et av de viktigste områdene innen digital helse, sier Ketil Widerberg, daglig leder i Oslo Cancer Cluster.

– EHiN ønsker i samarbeid med OCC å bygge Norge som en viktig internasjonal hub på området e-helse, avslutter Widerberg.

Følg med på ehin.no hvordan koronaviruset påvirker EHiN 2020.

Christine Wergeland Sørbye, CEO of Oslo Science City, is happy to welcome Oslo Cancer Cluster as a member of the new innovation district. Photo: Oslo Science City

Oslo Cancer Cluster becomes a member of Oslo Science City

How can we solve societal challenges, such as cancer, by creating a power centre for innovation in Oslo? This is the key question Oslo Science City – the first innovation district in Norway – hopes to answer.

The ambition of Oslo Science City is to become a world leading innovation district that contributes to research excellence, jobs creation, the green shift and sustainable economic development.

“We intend to develop a vibrant city area where people meet to innovate and explore what we still don’t understand,” said Christine Wergeland Sørbye, CEO of Oslo Science City.

In order to achieve this, Oslo Science City’s strategy is to facilitate cooperation between leading research groups, students, businesses and the public sector. Key actors in the district, including the City of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital and the University of Oslo, are now working together to facilitate the development of the area.

“We will develop a powerhouse for innovation, research and business, and a good place to live,” said Wergeland Sørbye.

Oslo Cancer Cluster joined Oslo Science City in June 2020 to contribute to boosting innovation in this knowledge-intensive area.

”Innovation thrives where there are hard problems that need to be solved,” said Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.

“Cancer is one of the major societal challenges we face today. For over a decade, Oslo Cancer Cluster has worked tirelessly to enable researchers and investors, private companies and public hospitals to work closer together to solve this challenge. We have succeeded in some first steps, now is the time to get to the next level. Utilizing the potential in immunology and digitalisation with Oslo Science City will be key to achieve this.”

Ketil Widerberg, daglig leder, OCC

Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, sees the potential of connecting immunology and digitalisation in the future innovation district. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster / Stig Jarnes

Wergeland Sørbye is happy to welcome Oslo Cancer Cluster as an active partner in developing Oslo Science City:

“Oslo Cancer Cluster has unique competencies and a long track record, and we are looking forward to learn from you! Together with the University of Oslo, SINTEF, Oslo University Hospital, the City of Oslo and our other members, Oslo Cancer Cluster will play an important role in realizing the potential for innovation, new jobs and value creation. It is important, and it will be fun!”

Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, the Oslo University Hospital research building and Norwegian Radium Hospital are located in the new innovation district Oslo Science City.

Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, the Oslo University Hospital research building and Norwegian Radium Hospital are located in the new innovation district Oslo Science City. Photo: Oslo Cancer Cluster / Christian Tandberg

A vibrant area to live, work, play

There are many innovation districts around the world, yet there is no fixed recipe for how successful innovation districts are developed.

“Developing such an area could be described more as an art than science.” Wergeland Sørbye said.

“However, research highlights the need for certain key functions. For example, you need strong anchor institutions that attract other actors, such as a university or university hospital, and you need to facilitate the cooperation based on trust between the different organizations and stakeholders in the area. Many do this by establishing a joint membership organization, which is what we did with Oslo Science City.”

Furthermore, it is essential to develop a multifunctional area with a critical mass of knowledge-intensive businesses. The ideal innovation district is a vibrant place where people can “live, work and play”, with services and cultural functions. It must also be easy to move around in the area, on foot, bike or public transportation.

“A key lesson from other innovation districts is the importance of adapting to the local context,” Wergeland Sørbye said.

However, no one has previously developed innovation districts in Norway. This makes it valuable to learn from international examples. Some innovation districts that have provided inspiration in the endeavour to develop Oslo Science City are Stockholm Science City, Copenhagen Science City, White City in London and Kendal Square in Boston.

Please follow the Oslo Science City official website for further updates on the development of the innovation district.

New member: Hemispherian

Image of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park

In this article series, we will introduce the new members of our oncology cluster.

Our newest member Hemispherian is developing a better treatment option for patients with aggressive brain cancer.

Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the most aggressive types of cancer that begins within the brain. Current treatment options are limited to surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the median overall survival after diagnosis is only 15 months and is highly dependent on the success of the surgery.

A Norwegian company called Hemispherian is advancing a new method to treat glioblastoma multiforme. The molecules the company is developing are called GLIX1 and GLIX5. They target a mechanism that is unique to cancer cells and does not affect normal healthy cells. The molecules are highly toxic to cancer cells and have minimal side effects.

We talked to Adam Robertson, Chief Scientific Officer in Hemispherian, to find out more about the company and the research.

How is Hemispherian involved in health and cancer?

“We are advancing first-in-class therapeutics for the indication with the greatest unmet need in oncology — glioblastoma multiforme. Patients diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme have dismal outcomes. Overall survival is measured in months with quality of life deteriorating rapidly. It is Hemispherian’s mission to provide superior treatment options.” Adam Robertson, Chief Scientific Officer, Hemispherian.

Why did Hemispherian become a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster?

“As a company focusing on developing cancer treatments Oslo Cancer Cluster is a natural fit for us. We are interested in Oslo Cancer Cluster’s extensive experience in the field and hope to benefit from advice and to make valuable contacts through Oslo Cancer Cluster’s network.” Adam Robertson, Chief Scientific Officer, Hemispherian.

"How does light with different wavelength affect the growth of plants?" by Linnéa M. Skille, May Dagny Kollandsrud Hutchings, Tonje Marie Bjørklund Hopen and Elakhiya Dushyanthan won second place in both the Student’s Choice and the Jury’s Choice. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen

Ullern students presented their own research

This article was originally published in Norwegian on the School Collaboration website.

Arranging a poster session may seem like an unusual way to end the school year, but for Ullern’s researcher students it is the perfect way to finish.

The first year of the Researcher Programme at Ullern Upper Secondary School was brought to an end by the students presenting their research projects to the four mentors, the principal, their teachers and co-students. A sunny, warm morning in June the Ullern schoolyard was transformed into a poster session, an activity that normally only takes place at science conferences.

The presentation of their research projects is the “grand final” of the school year for the students on the Researcher Programme, says Monica Flydal Jenstad and Ragni Fet, who are the two teachers in charge of the programme.

“The students have worked on their own experiments related to radiation and made real research posters. This has been a bit challenging, because of the corona pandemic and studying from home during a long period. They were supposed to present their research projects to the four mentors already in April, but this was of course not possible. It is really fun that we managed to do this at all,” says Ragni.

The teachers Ragni Fet and Monica Flydal Jenstad are responsible for the Researcher Programme. They were really impressed by the research projects the students presented during their first poster session. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen

The teachers Ragni Fet and Monica Flydal Jenstad are responsible for the Researcher Programme. They were really impressed by the research projects the students presented during their first poster session. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen

The four mentors that Ragni is referring to is Jónas Einarsson, CEO of Radforsk and founder of Oslo Cancer Cluster and Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, Øyvind Kongstun Arnesen, consultant in Radforsk and former CEO of Ultimovacs, Simone Mester, cancer researcher at Oslo University Hospital and former student at Ullern Upper Secondary School, and Bjørn Klem, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator and former head of research in Photocure.

Bjørn Klem, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator and former head of research in Photocure, is studying the research posters in depth.

Bjørn Klem, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator and former head of research in Photocure, is studying the research posters in depth.

The mentors’ task is to advise the students during their studies and contribute with guidance, inspiration and experience. The mentors were more than pleased with what was presented to them:

“I tutored the students in February when they were designing the experiments and brainstorming. It was really fun to see the finished results in the poster format. I think everyone reflected well on their own results and it was fun to discuss with them. I am very impressed by the results!” said Simone Mester.

Jónas Einarsson agreed:

“I am impressed by the students’ work in spite of all the complications with the closed school. They explored interesting issues and executed the projects very well.”

Øyvind Kongstun Arnesen believes the students had a great advantage in their experienced teachers, who both have backgrounds in cancer research, when performing their own research projects:

“I think the students were especially good at formulating clear hypotheses. It is obvious they have understood the main reason for this type of research. They have great teachers and clear heads.”

A great success

A total of ten research projects were presented in poster format in the schoolyard. The principal, the science teachers, the mentors and the students walked among the posters, just like at a real science conference, read about the research and asked questions to the research talents.

The teacher Ragni Fet opens the poster session. To her left: the mentors Øyvind Kongstun Arnesen, Jónas Einarsson and Bjørn Klem. In front of her: the nervous students prepared to present. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen.

The teacher Ragni Fet opens the poster session. To her left: the mentors Øyvind Kongstun Arnesen, Jónas Einarsson and Bjørn Klem. In front of her: the nervous students prepared to present. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen.

“The poster session was a success! The students were brilliant. Both the mentors and teachers were impressed. The students’ task was to design and complete an experiment of their choosing related to the topic of radiation and to present the results of the experiment on a poster,” said Ragni Fet.

Two projects were awarded special prizes out of the ten research projects that were presented. The first prize was awarded by a jury consisting of the four mentors and the teachers. The second prize was awarded by the students themselves.

The winners

“Research into plants and microwaves” by Christofer Woxholt, David Venker and Jonathan Løvdal won the Jury’s Choice.

“Research into radiation of yeast” by Alexander Hustad, Alexander Marks and Martin Thormodsrud won Student’s Choice. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen. 

The runner-ups

“How does light with different wavelength affect the growth of plants?” by Linnéa M. Skille, May Dagny Kollandsrud Hutchings, Tonje Marie Bjørklund Hopen and Elakhiya Dushyanthan won second place in both the Student’s Choice and the Jury’s Choice. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen

“Can you fry an egg with ultrasound?” by Sebastian Heuser and Victor Garman won a shared second place in the Student’s Choice category. Sebastian was unfortunately not present for the poster session. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen 

All research posters

“Water’s ability to slow gamma radiation” by Nikita Upadhyaya, Henrikke Thrane Steen Røkke and Lara Barazangy. Lara was not present when the picture was taken. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen

“The effect of different amounts of radiation on yeast cells” by Jakub Michalowski, August André Lukkassen and Emil Gråbøl-Undersrud. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen

“Radiation of e-coli” by Peder Hellesylt, Carl Thagaard, Fredrik Røren and Felix Gundersen. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen

“The effect of different types of radioactive radiation on bacteria” by Isha Mohal and Nada Darwiche. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen

“Does microwave radiation affect the growth of seeds?” by Anine Sundnes, Julia Beatrice Braaten and Tia Sauthon. Tia was not present when the photo was taken. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen

“Radiation of plants” by Iselin Langås Sunde, Andrea Øfstaas, Henrik E. Corneliussen and Fredrik Hansteen. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen

The mentors together with the winning group. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen

The mentors together with the winning group. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen

The mentors together with the group that got second place in Jury’s Choice and Student’s Choice. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen.

The mentors together with the group that got second place in Jury’s Choice and Student’s Choice. Photo: Elisabeth Kirkeng Andersen.

 

More about the Researcher Programme

The Researcher Programme (Forskerlinja) is a unique opportunity for motivated and talented aspiring researchers. The students receive a tailored three-year educational programme with a specialisation in the natural sciences. The academic year 2019/2020 is the first year that Ullern Upper Secondary School has run this programme, which offers a first insight into biomedical research, technology and innovation. Teachers and researchers give the students a taste of how world-class research is done. The students learn in completely new ways in the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, which Ullern Upper Secondary School is a part of.

The students have through the years participated in the unique collaboration with Oslo Cancer Cluster, which offers them exciting work placements with researchers, companies and laboratories associated with the cluster and the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. Because of the corona pandemic, the students have unfortunately missed out on many of the planned activities.

The students still have two years left of the programme and they will present two more research projects, but first, they will enjoy a well-deserved summer holiday.