Medical innovation in the Netherlands gets €5m boost
Dutch government boosts innovation by investing in medical research projects
The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs has donated €2.5m to extend seven promising research projects aimed at medical innovation. The projects, which focus on debilitating and life-threatening diseases such as breast cancer, prostate cancer and thrombosis, are part of the Dutch CTMM (Center for Translational Molecular Medicine) research programme.
CTMM's mission is to accelerate the introduction of medical innovations to patients via public–private partnerships collaborations. The companies and academic institutions involved in the seven projects will jointly contribute a matching €2.5m, making a total of €5m available during the next two years.
‘Medical innovation takes a long time. We are delighted that the Dutch government is investing in these research projects,’ says Peter Luijten, CTMM Chief Scientific Officer. ‘With their support, we can take the last step needed to translate the research results achieved during the last five years into concrete medical applications. This is very good news for patients as well as an important economic boost for the Netherlands.'
All seven research projects are in line with the Dutch government’s innovation-boosting 'Life Sciences & Health’ roadmap. They are all extensions of previous high-quality research programmes started in 2008 within the CTMM institute.
‘In 2008, the Dutch government, along with industry and universities, invested heavily in innovative medical research with the aid of revenue from the Dutch natural gas reserves,’ says Luijten. ‘With this additional funding, the government is giving a positive signal that it recognises the need for long-term investment to convert scientific knowledge into medical applications and benefit our whole society.’
