BioMedical Materials program (BMM)
The BioMedical Materials program (BMM) is a public private partnership of universities, university medical centers, companies and patient organizations, dedicated to the development of novel BioMedical Materials and their applications.
This is based on the vision that biomedical materials will play a key role in achieving medical breakthroughs that will enable the functional repair and regeneration of tissue, and in the future, possibly organs. A total amount of M? 90 is available for pre-competitive research projects in the next five year period.
BMM was initiated by a multidisciplinary consortium of partners. Among these are major Dutch companies such as DSM, Philips Research, Organon (a part of Schering Plough), Medtronic, Fuji Photo Film Life Sciences, all Dutch University Medical Centers, the Universities of Maastricht, Eindhoven, Twente, Groningen, Nijmegen and Utrecht, TNO, a group of small and medium-sized companies such as Pharming, Purac, Fortimedix, Pharmacell, LinkTastic, Innocore, Orteq and Dutch patient organizations Nierstichting and Nederlandse Hartstichting.The Dutch government provides a substantial contribution (50%) of the funding to BMM.
BMM has recently closed its first call for proposals. A second call for proposals is planned to be opened by the end of 2008.
All research projects need to be supported by specific competences in materials research, cell technology, and molecular biology. Each project will comprise a multidisciplinary research effort, including clinical researchers and technologists. Partners throughout the value chain will work closely together to ensure that innovations meet market demands and can be commercialized.