“This is a network that has the capacities to be a trailblazer”
As PIG-PARADIGM moves into its final phase, the consortium is beginning to show the impact of its interdisciplinary approach. By combining expertise from research and industry, the project is generating insights and solutions that could benefit not only pig production but other areas of animal and human health.
Sofia Forslund, a member of the project's Scientific Advisory Board and researcher at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, believes one of PIG-PARADIGM's biggest strengths is its ability to combine world-class science with real-world applications.
"It's bringing on board tremendous competence in multiple disciplines with very cutting-edge research, usually only seen in the human setting, toward a very specific targeted end of industrial and regional importance."
Over the past year, the Scientific Advisory Board has encouraged the consortium to focus even more on translation and concrete outcomes. Forslund sees clear progress in that direction.
"Almost all of the presentations I've seen are showcasing something which is a late-stage candidate for some kind of translational gain."
For her, the project's impact is not limited to pig production. Just as challenges in livestock production can influence human health, the innovations coming out of PIG-PARADIGM may help drive advances in other fields as well.
"PIG-PARADIGM can develop new methodology and new insights that can go into human medicine and do good there."
One of the ongoing challenges, she notes, is making sure all the project's different datasets, technologies, and research activities come together in a way that fully unlocks their potential.
"The ongoing struggle is, as always, making sure that it all comes together."
Looking beyond 2027, Forslund believes the project's legacy will be just as important as its scientific results. She sees enormous value in ensuring that the data, infrastructure, and knowledge generated by the consortium remain accessible and useful long after the project ends.
"There should be an agreement that specifies what can be done with it under what circumstances, geared toward reuse and further use."
A strong data legacy, combined with long-term hosting and shared standards, could help future researchers build directly on PIG-PARADIGM's work while opening doors to new funding opportunities and collaborations.
Forslund also sees significant potential for stronger academic-industry partnerships. Many industry partners already have additional data and new questions they would like to explore, and she believes the consortium is uniquely positioned to help bridge those gaps.
"This is a network that has the capacities to be a trailblazer."
Perhaps most importantly, she highlights the collaborative spirit that runs throughout the project. The close cooperation between researchers, institutions, and industry partners has created an environment where ideas and innovation can thrive.
"The consortium has an amazing atmosphere and collegiality."
As PIG-PARADIGM enters its final phase, the project is not only delivering scientific results. It is building a foundation of data, knowledge, partnerships, and expertise that has the potential to continue creating value long after the project itself has come to an end.