PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Scientists from the medical university Karolinska Institutet (KI), Stockholm, Sweden met with researchers at the Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute of Florida (VGTI Florida) in Port St. Lucie, Florida for a three-day visit this October. Karolinska Institutet and VGTI scientists discussed opportunities for the development of collaborations between the two organizations to further both institutes research programs.

During the in-depth meetings, the researchers focused on how their respective basic and clinical research capabilities in inflammation, cancer, cardiovascular, and infectious disease research could complement and enhance each other, potentially leading to the development of novel therapeutics for difficult human diseases. Of particular interest is the impact of aging on the functioning of the immune system on disease, and the responses to therapy.

Participants noted that there were many parallels to discuss during the in-depth meetings, and VGTI Florida anticipates return visit from the Karolinska Institutet for a scientific and research topic summit in early February 2014.

We are looking forward to continuing our planning of the upcoming joint symposium we will hold with VGTI Florida, said Karl-Henrik Grinnemo, M.D., Ph.D., Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery at Karolinska Institutet. During the meeting several collaborative projects were discussed, and dialogue regarding KI's presence at VGTI was initiated.

VGTI Florida shared its own considerable expertise in basic science, and described the rapidly growing research capacities located here in South Florida, commented VGTI Director Richard Jove, Ph.D. We also had the opportunity to share the local area and what it can offer with our guests from the Karolinska Institutet. The Karolinska Institutet is one of the worlds leading medical universities.

About VGTI Florida:

The Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute of Florida (VGTI Florida) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) biomedical research institute dedicated to understanding the roles of our immune system and our genes in disease, as well as the development of innovative treatments. We are in an expansion phase recruiting leading scientists from around the globe to join VGTI Florida where they can work side-by-side targeting infectious disease, cancer, and the impact of an aging immune system. For more information, please visit http://www.VGTIFL.org. VGTI Florida and Translating Research into Health are Registered Trademarks of the Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute of Florida.

About Karolinska Institutet:

With an overriding mission to contribute to the improvement of human health through research and education, Karolinska Institutet provides more than 40 percent of the medical academic research conducted in Sweden and offers the country s broadest range of education in medicine and health sciences. Many of the discoveries made at Karolinska Institutet have been of great significance, including the pacemaker, the gamma knife, the sedimentation reaction, the Seldinger technique and the preparation of chemically pure insulin. Since 1901 the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has selected the Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine.

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VGTI Florida Hosts Scientific Delegates from Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet

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