Media Release
Basel, 20 June 2008
Roche sets up international Postdoc Fellowship programme
Systematic encouragement of outstanding research at the interface between academia and industry
Roche announced today that it is setting up a new international Roche Postdoc Fellowship programme (RPF). The aim of the programme is to support outstanding young scientists in cooperative R&D projects between Roche and academic institutions by providing grants for up to four years. The purpose of RPF is to strengthen international scientific exchange and nurture the development of innovative specialist knowledge, new ideas and creative talent. Roche plans to award up to 100 postdoctoral fellowships in various scientific disciplines in the first two years of the programme, and in the long term to expand it into a broad-based international platform that promotes scientific excellence.
The Roche Research Foundation (RRF), a body that primarily awards doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships in Switzerland, will cease its activities at the end of 2008 and transfer its resources to a new, autonomous foundation that will promote young talent and research excellence in Roche’s home country.
“Our intention is to channel the positive momentum generated by the RRF into the new, much broader Roche Postdoc Fellowship programme and continue its success there", explained Dr René Imhof, designated Head of the new Roche Postdoc Fellowship programme. “We believe firmly that in setting up this programme we are making an important contribution to scientific excellence at international level and staying true to our principle of encouraging outstanding young talent and groundbreaking research.”
Postdoctoral students supported by the RPF programme will receive scientific mentoring both from Roche and its academic partners. An Internet platform, accessible through Roche’s website, will be in place by the fourth quarter of 2008 to provide further information on the application procedure and relevant research areas.
About Roche
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world’s leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As the world’s biggest biotech company and an innovator of products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people’s health and quality of life. Roche is the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and drugs for cancer and transplantation, and is a market leader in virology. It is also active in other major therapeutic areas such as autoimmune diseases, inflammatory and metabolic disorders and diseases of the central nervous system. In 2007 sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totalled 36.8 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 9.3 billion francs. Roche has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai, and invested over 8 billion Swiss francs in R&D in 2007. Worldwide, the Group employs about 79,000 people. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.roche.com.
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