Professor Pentti Tengvall is today director of BIOSUM, an interdisciplinary research institute dealing with biomaterials and regenerative medicine. It was created in 2008 by VINN Excellence Centrat BIOMATCELL at the University of Gothenburg, and VINN Excellence Centrat SuMo at the Chalmers University of Technology in cooperation with Region Västra Götaland (VGR).  

BIOSUM started up in autumn 2008 to meet the need for higher education in the sphere of biomaterials and regenerative medicine. The project was initiated by professors Peter Thomsen of the University of Gothenburg and Anne-Marie Hermansson of the Chalmers University of Technology. It is a four-year project financed by VINNOVA and VGR, with the aim of operating independently by 2012.

Long tradition of fruitful exchange between industry and academia
BIOSUM focuses on biomaterials research in collaboration with industry and the health care sector. The research students have researchers supervising them in the programme, which includes both individual research work and courses in entrepreneurship and business development. The school is part of an international network of higher education institutions and international enterprises and the result is a unique educational programme where biomaterials and entrepreneurship go hand in hand, combining biomaterials research with cooperation between industry and academia. “In Gothenburg there is a long tradition of contacts and exchange between academia and industry, and this type of tradition is immensely valuable since it takes such a long time to build up," says Pentti. Half the students at BIOSUM are today linked to either GIBBS*** or a company in the region. Practical work-experience at companies is also compulsory for all BIOSUM students.
 
Impressive career
At the age of twelve Pentti Tengvall moved from Finland to Jönköping in Sweden and after finishing senior high school he moved to Linköping where he has studied, worked and conducted research.
“I actually started my working life as a teacher of physics and mathematics and I´ve also worked as a repairman at a factory for film development," relates Pentti. “After completing my doctoral studies in 1989 I did my thesis in applied physics at the Department of Physics and Measurement Technology at the Linköping Institute of Technology, LiTH", says Pentti. “My thesis was about surface biology and surface modification, more specifically how titanium reacts with hydrogen peroxide, and I conducted a study of the interaction between inflammatory cells and titanium," explains Pentti. “Implanted materials must survive the inflammatory activity that always occurs in contact with bodily fluids. It is immensely interesting to note how various surface modifications can promote the desired tissue reactions and regulate immune reactions, for instance," adds Pentti. “I also worked for 9 years as a professor in applied physics specialising in biomaterials."

Gothenburg — the natural contact point for biomaterials
In 1994, Pentti took on the post of lecturer in applied physics at the Linköping Institute of Technology. “There I was instrumental in starting up the technical biology (TB) programme specialising in biomaterials. I taught part-time for twelve years, spent time on research and at the same time supervised a number of graduate students," says Pentti. “I soon got to know Peter Thomsen in Gothenburg, and our contacts became more frequent over the years. Everyone knew about the Brånemark dental implant so Gothenburg developed into a natural contact point for me in my work," emphasises Pentti. “Linköping has not focused on the biomaterials sphere in the same way but is and always has been more focused on other areas. As a result, I have occasionally felt rather lonely in the world of applied physics. In Gothenburg, however, there was already well-established cooperation between industry and academia. So for natural reasons there was considerable exchange, in-depth discussions and frequent contacts with colleagues in Gothenburg," recalls Pentti. “After 1990 there was increasing cooperation between Peter Thomsen and myself, we worked together with many of the same graduate students and published a number of scientific articles jointly. So when I was asked if I wanted to head BIOSUM, the Interdisciplinary Research School in Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, I didn´t hesitate."  

Strong goals for the future
The Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems (Vinnova) has allocated SEK 2.5 million over a period of four years since the start in 2008, to enable the establishment of the school. Region Västra Götaland annually contributes up to 900,000 SEK during the same period. This means that the finance will end in 2012. The current plan for the future is to establish BIOSUM as an integrated part of the common Materials Initiative between Chalmers and the University of Gothenburg.
“I believe that in another seven or eight years we will be housed in new premises, our numbers will swell by 30% and our demographics will show a younger age group," predicts Pentti Tengvall. “I also believe that odontology will by then have been further unified with other spheres of biomaterials research. After all, these two areas originally separated from one another as a result of old-established traditions," he relates.

“Furthermore, I believe we will have a new and larger lab. The number of graduate students should be about 10 to 15; if there are too many it will be too easy to lose a clear overview. I would also be delighted to see students spending six months of their education abroad and for us in turn to host foreign researchers here. Increased internationalisation is really beneficial. It would be a dream come true if we were to be granted a guest professorship and if new generations of researchers found their way here thanks to our creative environment and beneficial climate," reflects Pentti Tengvall. “Our strength here in the cold Nordic region is our sheer endurance. What is more, we are a small country with a small language. Here a meeting-place like Gothia Forum serves to open doors."
 
Future need for a larger lab
Pentti Tengvall would also like to see increased cooperation between Swedish universities and colleges so as to make even greater inroads within specific fields of research. In Gothenburg there are many researchers who are active in a variety of biomaterials spheres, and in order to harness their research requirements it will be necessary to build more laboratories and integrate more teaching posts in the future. “If we are to be internationally competitive, we will need a larger laboratory with modern equipment and expertise," Pentti emphasises.

Cycling enthusiast with an interest in various areas
So who exactly is Pentti Tengvall when he is not at work? “I´m an avid cyclist," he relates, “and in this respect Gothenburg is truly excellent — nothing is far away. In the summer we always spend time cycling and we´ve been on biking holidays in the Shetland Islands, the Orkneys, Norway ,Denmark , mainland Scotland , the Swedish west coast and Northern Germany . Cycling is a great way to relax and it really is a total break from the rest of my professional life," explains Pentti. “So we´re really busy on our holidays every year," he laughs. It appears that there are areas other than biology that interest Pentti as well. “We´re forever renovating and remodelling, painting and wallpapering. And we never forget to enjoy the wonderful array of fish and shellfish for which Gothenburg is so renowned!"

Pentti says also that it was natural for him and his wife to move to Göteborg since two of their three daughters already lived here. There were also other links to the city that made the choice to relocate here easy. At the same time, Pentti still retains a number of assignments such as his post on the board of the Scandinavian Society for Biomaterials (ScSB) and the European Biomaterials Society (ESB).

In today´s global-based economy, well-educated and creative individuals are the key to success. Professor Pentti Tengvallis a good example. With his knowledge and experience within the field of biomaterials, Gothenburg now has the opportunity to further strengthen its leading position within this discipline.

Text: Helene Jaktling, GöteborgBIO