Åbo, finland

Bjarne HolmbomChrister EckermanÅbo, Finland

Bjarne HolmbomChrister EckermanÅbo, FinlandRecipients of the 2008 Marcus Wallenberg PrizeRecipients of the 2008 Marcus Wallenberg Prize

The Relevance of Science for Innovations

Is science really relevant ?

Bjarne HolmbomChrister Eckerman

The Marcus Wallenberg Prize Symposium, 7 October 2008

Need of InnovationsEspecially in the Forest Industry

1. Getting / Creating Ideas2. Refining to Products / Innovations

The role of scientists / researchers ?

3

Timber, pulp, paperBiorefinery productsProcesses

4


Scientificanalyses

Fundamental knowledge base

Publications


Scientificanalyses

Technical ideasInventions


Publications

Message of MSc student

To really understand these phenomena we have to dive into the world of molecules -----

and then come back to the surface.

Tea Hannuksela, M.Sc. Thesis 1998, p. 5Partial carboxymethylation of parenchyma cell cellulose

7

Timber, pulp, paperBiorefinery products


Processes

Scientificanalyses

Publications

Technical ideasInventions Innovations

How are ideas created (pop up)By passionate creative mindsIn small groupsIn a free trusting atmosphereTime and freedom to think, and try all kinds of things Usually not during ordinary working hours

Big technical projects deactivate creative minds

9

Ideas -> -> -> -> Innovations

Ideas should be tested and refinedWho should do it - - -Scientists and researchers should have a central role

10

Science is an exciting adventure

Like an adventurous search in a vast forest

where nobody has been before

trying to understand ”Nature’s Wisdom”

Trying to find treasures - - -

11

We found a knot

10% of lignans

Nature’s richest source of bioactive polyphenols

12

R & D on knots at ÅA6-29% lignans

More spruceknots Analysis

10% lignans !Knots from other treespecies

50+ species5-15% polyphenols

Polyphenol fundamental chemistry Isolation, purificationBiotesting

1998 Technicalsep. of knots

”ChipSep”

Applications

About 30 scientific publications5 PhD Theses

6 – 29 %< 1 % 0.1 %

Hydroxymatairesinol (HMR)

Lignans in Picea abies

70-85% of the lignans

O

OMeO

OH

OH

OMe

OH

14

The Norway spruce lignanHydroxymatairesinol (HMR)

• Strong antioxidant • Inhibits breast cancer growth (Univ. of Turku)

• Hormos Medical Corp., Turku, product development 1997 ---• Clinical test on humans: no adverse effects• New dietary ingredient clearance from US FDA 2004• License Hormos Linnea S.A. in 2005• HMRlignanTM on the market in 2006

O

OMeO

OH

OH

OMe

OH

Knots can be separated from wood chips

Chipping Pulping

16

Stem wood ScreeningTMPCTMP

Kraft pulp

Over-thick chips

Normalwood

ChipSepKnot wood

The ChipSep ProcessFI Pat Appl. Aug. 2000 by C. Eckerman and B. Holmbom

Pulping

Over-thickchips

RechippedNormalwood

ChipDryer

Sep. tank

Warmair

Knotwood

Still much normal wood in knot-chips

Drying of over-thick chips for pilot experiments

First separator prototype 2001

20

21

Farm production of knots 2005 - 2007

Continuous chip dryer

22

Continuous ChipSep separatorChips in

Knot productNormal wood out

23


Scientificanalyses

ChipSep

1998

2000

IdeasInventions Innovations


1998 --- 2006

A novel platform for valuable bioactive compounds

PaperBoard

Pulping Papermaking

Dietary suppl. Health foodsCosmeticsTechn. antiox.Natural biocides

LignansFlavonoidsStilbenes

Knots

26

The Relevance of Science for Innovations

Bjarne HolmbomChrister Eckerman

The Marcus Wallenberg Prize Symposium, 7 October 2008

Is science really relevant ?

Yes, it is creating a solid knowledge baseessential for industrial renewal

27

We academic scientists hope ---

To get resources and freedom to do what we are passionate at: doing creative researchWe can create the knowledge base essential for technical ideas Come and ask us if we have got any new ideasPush us, and support us, to bring our ideas forward to innovations

28

AcknowledgementsScientific work at ÅA

Senior researchersRainer Ekman (t)Rainer SjöholmJorma MattinenMarkku ReunanenKenneth SundbergJarl HemmingAnnika Smeds

PhD students (PhDs)Lari VähäsaloStefan WillförSuvi PietarinenPatrik EklundHeidi MarkusLinda Nisula

29

AcknowledgementsScientists at University of Turku

Risto SanttiSari MäkeläNiina SaarinenMarkku Ahotupa

30

AcknowledgementsSupport for R&D

Research Academy of FinlandTekes

Innovation developmentThe Foundation for Finnish InventionsRunar Bäckströms Stiftelse

Business developmentHormos Medical UPM-KymmeneLinnea AS

31

AcknowledgementsInnovation development

Thomas HolmbomStig-Björn BrandtMikael Söderholm & Sons

32

Åbo, finland

Documents