LUMC receives tens of millions for research into new stem cell-based treatments
Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), as a partner in the reNEW consortium, is once again receiving tens of millions of euros for research into new treatments based on stem cells. The collaboration will receive a total of €150 million to develop new therapies in regenerative medicine.
The grant, which is provided by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, continues earlier funding and runs through 2031. The investment will enable the LUMC to continue working on innovative treatments for patients with chronic diseases in the coming years. It will also allow it to strengthen its position as an international centre for stem cell research and to collaborate with partners worldwide to improve future healthcare.
‘We’re really pleased that we’ve been awarded the second half of the reNEW funding. It’s a wonderful recognition of the work carried out in recent years and of the LUMC’s international role in regenerative medicine,’ said Marlies Reinders, the Dean of the LUMC.
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are special cells that can divide indefinitely and develop into different types of cells in the body, such as heart, kidney or nerve cells. This means they could help replace or repair damaged tissue. This is known as regenerative medicine.
Researchers from the LUMC study how stem cells function and what happens to them in diseased or damaged tissues. They also investigate how these cells can be safely used to repair diseased or damaged organs. Through reNEW, researchers can launch new projects, develop technologies, train young scientists and translate laboratory discoveries more quickly into treatments for patients.
What is reNEW?
reNEW is an international partnership in stem cell research. The consortium not only focuses on fundamental research, but also places special emphasis on translating new knowledge into applications for patients. Within reNEW, 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 no effective treatments currently exist. These include chronic diseases or inherited conditions such as type 1 diabetes, immune disorders, kidney diseases and heart failure.
‘Within reNEW, we are working on the medicine of the future, a future in which we not only treat diseases but truly cure them. Thanks to this boost, we will be able to continue the work of recent years and take our stem cell research out of the laboratory and closer to the patient,’ says Professor Ton Rabelink, Director of reNEW in Leiden.
A boost for the LUMC — and for Leiden
Regenerative medicine is one of the LUMC’s strategic focus areas. The centre has a long history of cutting-edge stem-cell research and developing disease models and cell and gene therapies. The new reNEW funding 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, companies and infrastructure come together to not only develop new regenerative treatments, but also bring them to patients.
What does this mean for patients?
Stem cell research and regenerative medicine are still relatively new, and the treatments being developed are not yet available to patients. Nevertheless, this represents an important step forward. The first stem cell–based treatments are currently being tested for safety and effectiveness in clinical studies at the LUMC and elsewhere.
Thanks to international collaboration and additional funding, researchers can accelerate developments and work toward solutions for patients who currently have few treatment options.