History
The story behind Research Park begins several years ago.
Originally the intention was to build a large research park at Debesartrøð, but this
plan was never realized.
In 2009 a group consisting of Regin W. Dalsgaard, chairman
of the Faroese Business Development Fund (Vinnuframi), Pál Weihe, chief
physician at the Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health in the
Faroese Hospital System, and Sigurð Ó. Vang, chairman of the board of P/F
Fiskaaling, took the initiative to create a research park in Vinnuframi’s buildings
on Hoyvíksvegur, Tórshavn.
Since mold had been detected in the buildings, the original
tenants, the national monopoly on alcohol (Rúsdrekkasøla Landsins), had to
evacuate the premises. After the renovations the empty buildings were a choice
location, and through cooperation and political goodwill, 13 million DKK was
granted by the state to create a research park. Using these funds, Vinnuframi, in close cooperation with the Faroese
scientific community, converted the empty buildings into a modern laboratory
facility.
P/F iNOVA:
The research park is a joint public/private enterprise,
where the public domain contributes the physical framework, while the private
domain manages the facility. The private cooperation iNOVA, whose purpose it is
to manage the research park, was founded in November 2011. Private interest in
the enterprise has been great, and several Faroese businesses and institutions
opted to invest in the company.
The founders of iNOVA are: P/F Fiskaaling, Felagið Nótaskip,
P/F Bakkafrost, P/F Havsbrún, TF Holding, Framtak, P/F Luna, P/F Marine Harvest
Faroes, Sp/F Tavan and MBM. The company was founded with 1,3 million DKK in
capital.
The board of iNOVA consists of Jógvan Jespersen,
representing the private domain, Durita Nielsen, representing private research,
Debes H. Christiansen, representing public research and Regin W. Dalsgaard,
representing Vinnuframi.
Common access instruments:
Vinnuframi was granted an additional 6,6 million DKK by the
Parliament of the Faroe Islands to procure advanced scientific instruments to
be installed at Research Park iNOVA. Realizing that many samples are sent
abroad for testing, Vinnuframi hired Janus Vang, Ph.D. in biochemistry, to
assess the nature and volume of this traffic. It was determined that the value
of tests and analyses performed abroad on Faroese samples in 2012 was about 20
million DKK, and that many of these tests and analysis could be performed on
the Islands. This would be advantageous
to the Faroese, since it would attract skilled professionals, increase the
scientific infrastructure of the islands, and result in reduced response-time
for patients and companies.
By selecting the right instruments to install in Research
Park iNOVA, Vinnuframi expects that part of the money spent on foreign tests
will stay on the Faroe Islands, and that new research will thrive in the park.
New director:
In October 2013 Janus Vang was hired as the new director of
Research Park iNOVA. He earned his masters in chemistry and molecular biology from
Roskilde University, after which he worked as a research scientist at the
University of Copenhagen. In 2006 he moved to the USA, where he did his Ph.D.
in Biomedical Science, focused on protein chemistry, at the University of
Connecticut Health Center.
As director of Research Park iNOVA Janus Vang will be the
daily leader of the facility, which was taken into use in June, 2013. Apart
from administrative tasks his main responsibility will be to build and develop
a vibrant and creative scientific environment.
