- Text Anna Karjalainen | Images Jarkko Ketolainen, Kuopio Health and Mostphotos
Kuopio Brain & Mind, the local network of Neurocenter Finland in Eastern Finland, and Kuopio Health Co-op continue to co-operate to make the R&D actors and environments in the Kuopio region more visible. Published in 2022, the ‘Health Ecosystem Map for Startups in Kuopio Region’ introduced key organizations in Kuopio Health innovation ecosystem. Introductory article series to be published during 2023 will describe the R&D actors shown on the ecosystem map in more detail.
Kuopio Brain & Mind promotes brain health research and multidisciplinary co-operation
“The aim of the Kuopio Brain & Mind network is to support and develop internationally significant research opportunities in the field of brain health and neurosciences. We operate both in our region and as part of the national network offered by Neurocenter Finland”, describes Regional Manager Anna Karjalainen. The operation started in May 2021 as a collaboration between the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital. The main goals for the network are the development of co-operation between the university, hospital, and business worlds, as well as promoting the visibility of neuroscience expertise present in Eastern Finland.
“Our network has been involved in building and opening new opportunities for collaboration and co-creation, which are now becoming concrete. These are taken further in the joint research and development projects across the organizational boundaries. Kuopio Health has also provided an important forum and platform for advancing co-operation opportunities,” continues Karjalainen.
Kuopio Health brings actors together
“The mission of Kuopio Health is to lead the cultural change towards an open innovation ecosystem among its members, which consist of different actors in the field of health, well-being, and nutrition. This can be seen in practice e.g. in our workshop activities, which focus on certain, jointly selected themes. We act also as a loudspeaker for our members’ messages and organize events together with our members and partners. In addition, we have project activities that are carried out as both national and international co-operation,” says Development Manager Kimmo Solehmainen from Kuopio Health Co-op.
“The idea of creating a metro map style visualization of the ecosystem actors in co-operation with Kuopio Brain & Mind came up during a coffee break. After the idea became clear, a natural way of co-operation quickly emerged. The map published at the ‘Kuopio Health Insights 2022’ event was well received and gained a lot of positive feedback. Giving more light to the R&D actors and their services was identified as a natural way to continue the co-operation in the context of communication,” Kimmo Solehmainen describes.
The next goal for the co-operation is to focus on the R&D actors and their services on the research line of the Kuopio Health metro map. Click here to open the interactive map!
During the next phase of the co-operation between Kuopio Health and Kuopio Brain & Mind, the key operators of the health research infrastructure in the region will be interviewed. They represent the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio University Hospital, and Savonia University of Applied Sciences. Kuopio Health’s latest recruit, Communication Coordinator Marja-Terttu Nyman-Lappalainen will carry out the multi-channel communication of the expertise and services. “Our goal is to amplify also international interest in the unique expertise in the Kuopio region,” adds Nyman-Lappalainen.
For further information, please contact:
Kimmo Solehmainen, kimmo.solehmainen@kuopiohealth.fi
Anna Karjalainen, anna.karjalainen@uef.fi
The news has been published 31.1.2023 in co-operation between Kuopio Health and Kuopio Brain & Mind https://kuopiohealth.fi/en/category/news/ and https://kuopio.neurocenterfinland.fi/en/news/
