After the merger, the name of the new foundation would be Orion-Farmos Tutkimussäätiö - Orion-Farmos Research Foundation, and it would carry on the traditions of the two separate foundations, founded in 1957 and 1973, respectively. Every year, the foundations have given grants to young researchers, mostly for their PhD or MD dissertation work. In 2005, the grants given to 129 young researchers amounted to about EUR 450,000 while EUR 360,000 was divided between 107 researchers in 2004. The merger would make it possible to finance the post-doctoral work of the young researchers through larger grants. Besides representatives nominated by Orion Corporation, the 11-member Board of the new foundation would also comprise representatives of the scientific societies of the disciplines in question. The Finnish medical faculties would also be represented.
The merger of the Pharmacalin Stipendi- ja Tutkimussäätiö to the Orion Corporation Research Foundation in 2005 was the first step towards a more efficient management and implementation of the mission of these foundations.
The planned merger would create an economically strong source of research funding focusing on medical, veterinary and pharmaceutical research and related disciplines, such as chemistry and physics. The merger would also result in savings of administrative expenses and elimination of overlapping functions.
For further information, please refer to:
Professor (emeritus) Heikki Vapaatalo, Chairman of the Board of the Research Foundation of Orion Corporation, tel. +358-9-1912 5046, (Biomedicum, Pharmacology) or mobile +358-40-525 7995.
Professor Jorma Viikari, Chairman of the Board of the Research and Science Foundation of Farmos, tel. +358-2- 313 1008 (The University of Turku, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Internal Medicine) or mobile 0400-123 991.
Orion Corporation, Corporate Communications
Tuula Laitinen, Communication Manager, tel. 050 429 2136
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Orion Corporation, Corporate Communications
P.O. Box 65, 02101 Espoo