In a memorandum of understanding signed Jan. 9 during a Louisville visit, Polish officials representing Wroclaw Research Centre EIT + Ltd. agreed to work with UofL and Nucleus to “identify several collaborative projects.”
Nucleus, a UofL Foundation initiative, works to strengthen research and economic development in the region by attracting and creating new businesses in the life sciences and other areas. According to the MOU, initial discussions will center on the areas of cancer research, bionanomaterials, aging and polymers.
“We hope it will expand into other areas as our relationship grows,” said UofL President James Ramsey.
“We are active in the global market and are enthusiastic about partnering with others,” he said. “We are looking for more outlets to help move discoveries to the marketplace.”
Ramsey and EIT + President Miroslaw Miller signed the agreement.
“This is the most important day in the four-year existence of our company,” Miller said.
Noting that Europe and Poland are weak in innovation and entrepreneurship, he said that sharing information with Nucleus and UofL, which are strong in those areas, will be a good lesson.
After the signing, the Wroclaw group toured the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute and Clinical and Translational Research Building. They also met with Ramsey, Nucleus CEO Vickie Yates Brown, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and other local officials to see how Louisville is leveraging innovation, health sciences and technology for economic development.
Before their stay ends Jan. 11, they plan to tour some of the labs on the Belknap and Shelby campuses.
Besides Miller, the visitors included Magdalena Ornatowska, director of the EIT + Life Science Department, and Katarzyna Swinarska, director of the EIT + Project Management Office.