Event with Bavarian State Minister Aigner at BioPark Regensburg

The biotechnology field in the opinion of Bavarian State Minister of Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology and Deputy Minister-President of Bavaria Ilse Aigner (CSU) can ensure further impulses of growth in the region of Regensburg. She said this in the framework of a visit to the Regensburg BioPark. Already today 25 to 30 percent of all German jobs in this field are at home in Bavaria. Regensburg is a "hotspot", emphasised Aigner at her visit to the company Lophius Biosciences in the Regensburg BioPark. The company with around 30 employees founded from the University of Regensburg develops diagnostic methods especially for patients with autoimmune diseases or for transplant candidates.

Following this the Minister discussed current topics in the Atrium of BioPark III with 150 invited guests from political and economic circles of the city area and surrounding districts and cities. This included in particular refugee issues, the lack of qualified specialised & junior staff and trades people in the region at the focal point of conversations. Furthermore topics regarding the future such as digitalisation and globalisation were discussed. Also BioPark specific problems were able to be thrown in along the way to the Minister. A concern of the Managing Director Dr. Thomas Diefenthal was tax relief for research companies, which for example is practised in neighbouring countries. Prof. Michael Nerlich from the University Clinic in Regensburg broached the issue of better coordination of the three government ministries (economy, health, research) responsible for the further development of the location in the field of health economy.

Of course in a 90 minute period not all problems could be addressed and immediate solutions be found. However the Minister had brought along all responsible heads of department and introduced them personally. So it was not surprising that she herself and her colleagues connected in intensive dialogue at the get-together for a further 90 minutes with the guests. Naturally the management of BioPark GmbH with Dr. Thomas Diefenthal and Dieter Daminger used the opportunity with the Head of Division for Innovations and Technology Politics, Biotechnology and Medical Technology, Dr. Manfred Wolter, to discuss further steps at the BioPark and the BioRegion Regensburg. Both the Ministry and the Regensburg Location will engage strongly in the future on the topic of health economy (see press release BioPark No. 157, June 2015).