UPM, Åbo Akademi expand strategic partnership

UPM and Åbo Akademi University expand their cooperation by signing a frame agreement covering several fields of research, said a press release.

UPM and Åbo Akademi University have previously already cooperated in biomedicals research which is one of Åbo Akademi University's spearhead fields and a focus area of UPM's Biochemicals unit. The frame agreement strengthens cooperation in biomedicals and also in paper, pulp and energy research.

UPM leads the integration of bio and forest industries and builds a sustainable and innovation-driven future for example through collaboration with partners. The purpose is to promote business development and speed up innovations also in new areas, such as biomedicals.

"We are actively looking for strategic partners on a global scale. The frame agreement with Åbo Akademi University strengthens UPM's network of strategic partnerships in areas that are essential for our future businesses", states Pekka Hurskainen, Vice President of Technology Strategy Development at UPM.

UPM and Åbo Akademi University have already been doing successful cooperation with GrowDex® cellulose nanofibril hydrogel. It is UPM's first commercial product developed for biomedical purposes. It is especially well suitable for 3D cell culture applications, such as pharmaceutical research and development. GrowDex is highly biocompatible with human cells and tissues.

"We are pleased with the frame agreement with UPM. This agreement continues our long term collaboration with UPM. Over the years, we have been actively collaborating in the fields of material and process research in chemical engineering and biomedicals, and we are now able to reinforce this collaboration", says Niklas Sandler, Vice-Rector, Research Affairs at Åbo Akademi University.