In the context of the "Educated Romania" project and the designation of Timișoara as the European Cultural Capital in 2021, the President of Romania, Mr. Klaus Iohannis, participated in a series of events held under the auspices of "Timişoara - Academic, Cultural and Scientific Center", among which was visiting the Center for Gene and Cell Therapies in Cancer Treatment - OncoGen. The President thus sent "a signal of encouragement for research in the medical field, of openness to researchers in the medical field, of support for research projects financed by European funds and at the same time a message of encouragement for accessing new projects in the field of medical research."

The President was welcomed by Prof. Dr. Virgil Păunescu, the OncoGen coordinator, and by the management of the "Pius Brînzeu" Timișoara County Emergency Clinical Hospital. The visit was also attended by Mrs. Diana Loreta Păun, State Councillor, Department of Public Health, as well as local officials and personalities from the Banat research field: Prefect of Timiș County, Mircea Băcală, President of Timiș County Council, Sorin Grindeanu, Mayor of Timișoara Municipality, Nicolae Robu , representatives of the managements of the main Timisoara universities and some local research institutions. Also present at the meeting were the representatives of the West Timișoara Regional Office within the National Authority for Scientific Research and Innovation, those who supported the project through which the center was built and equipped.

Prof. Păunescu presented OncoGen's state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment, after which the President was invited to a discussion on Romanian medical research, during which he was informed about the results obtained by OncoGen researchers, the research strategy and the projects we are involved in. During the meeting, researchers from Timisoara, both young and established, had the opportunity to discuss with the President the topics related to Romanian research. At the end of the discussions, the idea of Timisoara becoming a pole of excellence in biotechnologies by collaborating all the research capacities in interdisciplinary themes was outlined, in order to reach critical mass and to exploit the material and human potential of the area.

In the address at the end of the visit, the President declared that "the university field is not reasonably imaginable without research", and the OncoGen center proves that Timișoara is a place of innovation.

For further information: http://www.presidency.ro/ro/presedinte/agenda-presedintelui/vizitarea-centrului-de-terapii-genice-si-celulare-in-tratamentul-cancerului-oncogen