- HEIDELBERG, Germany, January 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BioMed X Innovation Center announced today that they have entered into a collaboration agreement with Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. seeking to establish a research group to focus on the development of novel methods for the disruption of oral biofilms. This collaboration was facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation. Through a joint crowdsourcing effort, scientists from leading academic institutions worldwide are invited to submit original project proposals to develop novel approaches to remove saliva derived, mixed-species, and potentially pathogenic bacterial biofilms from oral surfaces to reduce the incidence of gum disease or caries. The best ideas and life science talents will be jointly selected to form a new research group within BioMed X's open innovation lab, which is part of the vibrant life science campus of the University of Heidelberg. "We are excited about the collaboration since it extends our research project portfolio into the field of consumer health care," said Christian Tidona, founder and Managing Director of BioMed X. "With Johnson & Johnson Innovation we welcome the fifth global player to join our new open innovation model." BioMed X will be responsible for housing the new research group, the operation of the innovation center facility and enabling access to the Heidelberg scientific community and research facilities. Further details of the agreement and financial terms are not disclosed. About BioMed X Innovation Center The BioMed X Innovation Center is an exciting new collaboration model at the interface between academia and industry. At our center, distinguished early career scientists recruited from all over the world are working jointly on novel pre-clinical research projects in the fields of biomedicine, molecular biology, cell biology, diagnostics and bioinformatics. These interdisciplinary project teams are conducting groundbreaking biomedical research in an open innovation lab facility on the campus of the University of Heidelberg, under the guidance of experienced mentors from academia and industry while expanding their scientific network and receiving an intensive entrepreneurship and leadership training. Each team is typically sponsored by a corporate pharma or biotech partner of BioMed X. After a fully funded project term, successful projects are either internalized into the development pipeline of the respective pharma or biotech sponsor or spun off into an independent startup company. For more information please visit http://www.bio.mx. Contact:Eva-Maria Gottmann Phone +49-6221-426-11-10