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, delivering hope for new treatments across many currently untreatable diseases.
The reNEW centre is structured around a consortium of three institutions: the University of Copenhagen – where the centre’s governing hub is based – the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia and the Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands.
The aim of the centre is not just to further stem cell-based research 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. Research activities revolve around three overall themes:
- Use of stem cells to regenerate or recreate damaged or destroyed tissue, paving the way for novel therapies for diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, congenital heart disease, diabetes, ulcerative colitis and chronic renal disease
- Screening of potential drug candidates using stem cell-based models of human tissue
- Development of new treatment strategies for genetically inherited diseases, using a combination of gene editing and stem cell technologies
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