The most promising talents at the eighth Regional BioCamp awarded

  • By announcing the winners, the eighth Regional BioCamp, bringing together 35 talented natural science students from the region, is successfully concluded.
  • At the three-day forum, the future scientists explored anti-infective therapies and challenges on the journey to effective therapies. 
  • The winners of the Regional BioCamp 2018 are Filip Bošković, Rok Krese and Emanuela Senjor.
30. 5. 2018

At the eighth consecutive Regional BioCamp, Novartis in Slovenia again hosted 35 most talented undergraduate and post-graduate students from natural science faculties in the region. Among them, the expert panel selected three individuals who best translated the newly acquired knowledge into practice. They are Filip Bošković from Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade; Rok Krese from Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University and Emanuela Senjor from Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana. At yesterday’s award ceremony, the winning team that demonstrated the best integrated project was also selected. The members of the winning team were Julia Magdalena Böck, Filip Bošković, Vlatka Brozović, Jelena Gajić, Marina Kalić, Ivana Ruseska and Davor Škofič-Maurer.

The central themes of this year’s Regional BioCamp were anti-infective treatments and the challenges confronted in developing new effective therapies. The young scientists explored new approaches to treatment and learnt about the experience of patients with a disease. At the event, top Novartis and Sandoz experts, lecturers from natural science faculties and successful managers shared with the students their knowledge of the generic pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry as well as their experience in the development of biosimilars. The students were also presented with a challenge how to develop and launch their own pharmaceutical product. An individual case study was presented by each of the five teams. In their final presentations to the expert panel, the teams demonstrated their innovation skills and abilities in constructive teamwork. The panel members were extremely impressed with the presentations, as all teams proved themselves to be outstanding. 

After receiving the award for the best three individuals Filip Bošković, Rok Krese and Emanuela Senjor said:

Emanuela Senjor: »I think it was the team work that brought me the win and I hope we will stay in contact with members of our group. In the future I can see myself in the pharmaceutical industry and I would like to work in a company like Novartis. I would also like to help patients and be actively involved in the development of medicines.« 

Rok Krese: »My win is the result of team work, I would not get this award without the team. The expert panel was convinced by our presentation. I came to BioCamp to get an insight into the pharmaceutical industry, especially in Slovenia. Although I study abroad, I would like to return home in the future and I see Lek as a potential employer.«

Filip Bošković: »I am proud of winning. I would recommend the Regional BioCamp to all my colleagues. It is important for the further development of young researchers who can, equipped with new knowledge, develop into young entrepreneurs.«

Among the five participating teams, Julia Magdalena Böck, Filip Bošković, Vlatka Brozović, Jelena Gajić, Marina Kalić, Ivana Ruseska and Davor Škofič-Maurer proved themselves as the best performing team. The representative of the winning team Davor Škofič-Maurer commented on their success: »I am thrilled about the event and a bit surprised about our team’s win. I have realized that you can also be your best under pressure. I think that the key for our win was the excellent energy that prevailed in our group. We have built close ties among us, which we will try to maintain in the future.«

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Novartis is the leading provider of medicines in Slovenia, where Lek, Novartis Pharma Services and Sandoz, operate. Together we are building and maintaining the reputation of a dynamic, ethical, and trusted pharmaceutical company. Lek develops, manufactures, and markets effective, safe, and high quality medicines and active pharmaceutical ingredients. With our knowledge, quality, and experience we have gained an important role in Novartis' organizational structure, especially in the Novartis Technical Operations, Global Drug Development, Novartis Business Services, and the generic division Sandoz. We are the leading Sandoz development center, and one of the key development sites for technologically complex projects. We invest a great deal in the development, education, and training of our employees. Novartis invested in Slovenia more than EUR 2 billion since 2003. More than half of this investment has been devoted to development, and the rest to modernize and expand our production capacities.

Sandoz is a global leader in generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals. As a division of the Novartis Group, our purpose is to discover new ways to improve and extend people’s lives. We contribute to society’s ability to support growing healthcare needs by pioneering novel approaches to help people around the world access high-quality medicine. Our portfolio of approximately 1000 molecules, covering all major therapeutic areas, accounted for 2016 sales of USD 10.1 billion. In 2016, our products reached more than 500 million patients and we aspire to reach one billion. Sandoz is headquartered in Holzkirchen, in Germany’s Greater Munich area.
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Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals and eye care. Novartis has leading positions globally in each of these areas. In 2017, the Group achieved net sales of USD 49.1 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.0 billion. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 122,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are sold in approximately 155 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

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This press release contains statements and conclusions based on projections of Lek’s future business operations. These estimates are derived from the best information currently available. In case these forecasts prove unreliable, the actual results could prove different from those projected.

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For additional information contact:
Katarina Klemenc
Corporate Communications 
Lek Pharmaceuticals d. d.
Phone: +386 1 580 22 43
Fax: +386 1 580 24 32
katarina.klemenc@sandoz.com