Institut Roche chooses Uruguay to bring together leading scientists from around the world for its Insight Lab-Research Camp

To strengthen scientific collaboration and take advantage of emerging talent in Uruguay and Latin America, Institut Roche has chosen Uruguay as the venue for its next Research Camp, scheduled from February 26 to March 9.

Punta de Este and Montevideo will be the meeting places for the group of some 50 researchers from around the world, including internal members of the institute and leading external scientists, who will be focused on finding solutions to complex scientific challenges. 

“Uruguay is an ideal port to have our ship,” said the director of Institut Roche, Magnus Fontes, in an interview with Uruguay XXI. The choice of the country, the first in the Americas to host this activity, was based on the tradition of excellence in research and the strength of the Uruguayan market, which has proven to be a business and innovation hub in the region.

Fontes highlighted Uruguay’s stability, security, and global openness, as well as its propensity to collaborate with scientists worldwide, as incentives for his choice and considered them key factors to establish business and invest.

On this point, Roche’s general manager for Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia, Nathalie Leclerc, said that Uruguay is the “platform that will give rise to an interdisciplinary construction of solutions that will facilitate the approach to the complex challenges currently faced in the areas of oncology and neurosciences.”

The Research Camp will be spread over two phases: from February 26 to March 2, a pre-camp will be held for young Uruguayan and Brazilian researchers. “These outstanding talents, with publications in renowned journals such as Nature, will participate in activities designed to level their knowledge and prepare them for the intense week of research that will follow,” Fontes explained.

From March 3 to 9, the main activity will bring experienced researchers together with young scientists. During this intensive week, critical questions in various scientific fields will be addressed to push research in new and complementary directions.

Uruguay XXI supports this meeting, underlining the strategic importance of Uruguay as a business and innovation hub and gateway to the region.

According to Leclerc, the Institut Roche Research Camp, declared of public interest by the Presidency of the Republic of Uruguay and four of its ministries, represents a boost to scientific research in the country.