As a partner in the reNEW consortium, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) has once again received tens of millions for research into new stem cell-based treatments. The partnership will receive a total of €150 million to develop new treatments in regenerative medicine. The grant, a continuation of previous funding, runs until 2031 and is made possible by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
Thanks to this investment, the LUMC can continue working on innovative treatments for patients with chronic diseases in the coming years. The LUMC also strengthens its position as an international center for stem cell research and collaborates with partners worldwide to improve healthcare for the future.
“We are delighted with the award of the second half of the reNEW funding. This is a wonderful recognition of the work accomplished in recent years and the international role of the LUMC in the field of regenerative medicine,” said Marlies Reinders, Dean of the LUMC.
What is reNEW?
reNEW is an international collaboration in the field of stem cell research. The consortium focuses not only on basic research but also specifically on translating new knowledge into applications for patients. The LUMC collaborates with the University of Copenhagen and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne.
Researchers within reNEW aim to develop new therapies for diseases for which there is currently no effective treatment. These include chronic diseases or hereditary conditions such as type 1 diabetes, immune disorders, kidney disease, or heart failure.
"At reNEW, we are working on the medicine of the future. A future where we no longer simply treat diseases, but actually cure them. Thanks to this impetus, we can continue our work of recent years and bring our stem cell research from the laboratory closer to patients," says Professor Ton Rabelink, director of reNEW in Leiden.
A boost for the LUMC and Leiden
Regenerative medicine is one of the LUMC's key priorities. It has a long history of leading research in stem cells and the development of disease models, cell, and gene therapies. The renewed funding from reNEW is a boost not only for the LUMC but for the entire Leiden regenerative medicine ecosystem.
The LUMC is part of the Leiden Bio Science Park, where education, research, businesses, and infrastructure come together to not only develop new regenerative treatments but also to bring them to patients.
Bron: Universiteit Leiden