Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, ReNEW, works to gain a deep understanding of stem cell biology in organ development, tissue repair and disease mechanisms, which is essential to harness the therapeutic potential in stem cell medicine.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine
Stem cell medicine is delivering hope for new treatments across many currently untreatable diseases. Stem cells are found throughout the human body and are critical for a healthy life. Recent scientific advances now allow us to identify, isolate and engineer stem cells to create human tissue models, repair injured tissues and in the future grow new organs. A deep understanding of stem cell biology in organ development, tissue repair and disease mechanisms is essential to harness the therapeutic potential in stem cell medicine.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, is based on a tripartite international partnership between the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Leiden University Medical Centre, The Netherlands and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia.
Together, these three sites combine to provide research excellence as well as opportunities and experience around stem cell disease modeling for drug development, cellular therapies for tissue regeneration and regenerative medicine. The partners mutually reinforce and synergistically support the required elements for translation in stem cell medicine: excellence in basic science, capacity building and training, state of the art research infrastructure, clinical and commercial translation capacity, and public engagement.
The game changer
Stem cell medicine might be a game changer when it comes to addressing some of the major health challenges facing the world today. With the establishment of this new Center, the aim is not just to further stem cell-based research through international collaborations, but also to strengthen the pathway from scientific discovery to targeted outcome, whether in the form of new medical technology or new forms of treatment for the benefit of patients. In the reNEW model, it is expected that discoveries go beyond high-quality fundamental stem cell research and create value and patient-centered outcomes.
Facts
€300 million
Host institution:
University of Copenhagen
Staff:
Fields of research:
Tissue architecture
Transcription, Potency and Patterning
Cell fate control during development, homeostasis and disease
Human Neural Development
Kidney development
Mechanics of Tissue Homeostasis
Developmental Biology of The Pancreas
Early Development and Epigenetic Regulation
Melissa Little, Professor and Executive Director, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine