Biotechnology in Estonia
The history of Estonian biotechnology dates back more than 180 years, to Estonian-born embryologist Karl Ernst von Baer’s (1792-1876) groundbreaking discoveries about the prenatal development of animals.
Currently, there are eight research centres and 55 biotechnology enterprises in Estonia, most of them located either in Tallinn or in Tartu. Over 100 new specialists graduate every year from the Tallinn University of Technology and the University of Tartu, both of which offer master‘s and doctoral programmes in biotechnology.
Medical biotechnology -- namely genomics, immunology, and cancer research -- is the area of main competence in Estonia.
Research groups led by two professors, Mait Metspalu and Richard Villems, were part of an international project analyzing the genome structure and the origins of the Jewish people, as well as the genome sequence of a 4,000-year-old Palaeo-Eskimo male. The results of both studies were published in one of the prestigious science journals, Nature, in February 2010.
In order to study the genealogy of Estonians, the Estonian Genome Center was founded in 2001. The first samples were collected a year later and by the end of 2010, the gene bank is expected to contain samples from 50,000 gene donors. This database will provide valuable information for researchers searching for links between genes, the environment and common diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
In immunology, professor Mart Ustav and his colleagues at Fit Biotech have successfully carried out Phase II clinical trials using a innovative therapeutic vaccine for the treatment of patients infected with the HIV virus.
Outstanding examples of Estonian biotechnology enterprises actively involved in cancer research are ProtoBios, run by Kaia Palm, and Asper Biotech. ProtoBios has signed contracts with different companies in the US to characterize the molecular markers for cancer and the regulatory mechanisms involved in melanomas. Asper Biotech offers oncogenetic tests to identify individuals with increased risk of developing cancer and has several partners both in the US and in Europe.
Marika MikelsaarWith regard to industrial biotechnology, one cannot underestimate the progress of Estonian food biotechnology during the last decade, especially the success story with probiotic dairy products. Functional food development in Estonia has been internationally recognized: professor Marika Mikelsaar was awarded the European Union Women Inventors and Innovators Network Prize in 2007 for the discovery of Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3.
Estonian biotechnology companies are supported by Enterprise Estonia.
In addition, the National Biotechnology Programme for 2010-2013 has been launched. This programme provides more than 32 million euros of support for entrepreneurship and development of biotechnology during the four-year period. The priority is given to the most promising areas, including the development of functional food, food processing, molecular diagnostics, and drug discovery technologies.
Biotechnology is the world’s fastest growing field of industry, and it is a priority for Estonia to maintain its competence in biomedicine, improve innovative performance, attract international venture capital and increase its role in the international biotechnology business.
Further information about the members of the Estonian Biotechnology Association.
