idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
Berlin, 14 October 2020. The convergence of biology and information technology is giving rise to groundbreaking innovations that will lead to completely new possibilities in medicine, agriculture and forestry or industrial production. Global players, particularly the big digital companies, are leading the way with far-reaching projects. This is the conclusion drawn by the High-Tech Forum in its analysis of "Bio-IT Innovations" published today. The board advises the Federal Government to put the topic on the political agenda, to strengthen Bio-IT research, and to put it into practice together with society and industry.
The High-Tech Forum observes that bio-IT offers enormous potential for rapidly growing future markets of the bioeconomy: Be this accurate and entirely new treatment options in personalized medicine or the development of climate-friendly and efficient food production. Furthermore visionary IT projects from digital data storage in DNA to brain-computer interfaces or 3D printing of biological tissue are already being promoted internationally.
Germany must make every effort to help shape the development of technologies on an equal footing and in the spirit of responsible research and innovation, especially in view of the massive investment and increasing involvement of "big tech". According to the High-Tech Forum, the competition for scientific talents, data and market access, and economic implementation has already begun.
Prof. Dr. Christiane Woopen, Managing Director of the Cologne Center for Ethics, Rights, Economics, and Social Sciences of Health (CERES), University of Cologne, and spokesperson of the "Bio-IT Innovations" team in the High-Tech Forum, says emphatically, "With Bio-IT innovations, we can pursue important sustainability goals, for example in healthcare, nutrition, climate protection and biodiversity, with a whole new dynamism. Germany can play an internationally significant role in this if it intelligently designs the framework conditions for an efficient innovation chain from idea to application. Society must be consistently involved in this from the outset so that Bio-IT developments serve progress for all in the face of new ethical and societal challenges and ultimately also become social innovations."
The board therefore recommends that the Federal Government should implement a Bio-IT agenda as a core component of the next High-Tech Strategy. A new Bio-IT research center should combine all relevant specialist competencies throughout Germany to promote research and development at an international level. With regard to Bio-IT applications made in Germany, the High-Tech Forum emphasizes the need for suitable incentives for spin-offs and high-tech startups: The transfer of Bio-IT basic research to companies requires investments in the three-digit million range. In the international competition for investors, it is necessary to create new tax incentive models without bureaucratic red tape, and regulatory scope for action regarding the release and utilization of property rights for spin-offs. In addition, policymakers should stimulate and promote the early involvement of society, e.g. in product development. This also includes a broad debate in society on the ethical and social challenges of new Bio-IT applications.
The recommendations of the High-Tech Forum on the High-Tech Strategy 2025 will be presented to the round table of State Secretaries of all federal ministries on 28 October 2020. The High-Tech Forum expressly invites comments on the discussion paper.
The following members of the High-Tech Forum are the lead authors of the discussion paper: Prof. Dr. Christiane Woopen, Managing Director of the Cologne Center for Ethics, Rights, Economics, and Social Sciences of Health (CERES), University of Cologne, Dr. Martin Brudermüller, Chairman of the Board and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of BASF SE, Prof. Dr. Sabina Jeschke, Board Member for Digitalization and Technology of Deutsche Bahn AG, Dr. Marion Jung, CEO of ChromoTek GmbH and Prof. Johannes Vogel, Ph.D., General Director of the Natural History Museum Berlin.
About the High-Tech Forum
The High-Tech Forum is the central committee that advises the Federal Government on implementing the High-Tech Strategy 2025. Its task is to provide tangible recommendations for implementing and actioning the Federal Government's research policy. It publishes discussion papers on an ongoing basis, focusing on key topics including the 3.5-percent target, open science and innovation, social innovations, agility of the innovation system, innovation and skills, sustainability within the innovation system, the future of value creation as well as open science and innovation.
The High-Tech Forum is composed of 21 experts from science, business and society. It is chaired by Christian Luft, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Reimund Neugebauer, President of the Fraunhofer Society. The High-Tech Forum meets three to four times a year. The duration of its advisory activities is tied to the current parliamentary term. Further information: www.hightech-forum.de
About the High-Tech Strategy
The High-Tech Strategy 2025 pools the Federal Government's promotion of research and innovation. Its goal is to achieve tangible progress in the quality of life of all citizens, such as in the fight against cancer, against plastic waste in the environment or in sustainable closed loop waste management. It is intended to encourage a large number of stakeholders to actively help shape this progress. Further information: www.hightech-strategie.de
https://www.hightech-forum.de/wp-content/uploads/htf_discussion_paper_bio_it_inn... Discussion paper "Bio-IT Innovations"
https://www.hightech-forum.de/wp-content/uploads/bio_it_innovationen_htf_experti... | Bio-IT expert reports
http://twitter.com/hightech_forum | High-Tech Forum on Twitter
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