Life Sciences in the Netherlands - LIAA

The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and FoodQuality (LNV)Bezuidenhoutseweg 732594 AC Den HaagPostbus 204012500 EK Den HaagT (070)3786868www.minlnv.nlOCW (Dutch Ministry of Education, Cultureand Science)Ministry of OCWPO Box 163752500 BJ Den HaagT: 003170 412 34 56www.minocw.nlScience Park AmsterdamKruislaan 404;1098 SM AmsterdamP.O. Box 946041090 GP AmsterdamPhone: +31 20 525 7990Fax: +31 20 525 7675www.scienceparkamsterdam.nlLeiden Bio Science Parkwww.lifemeetsscience.nlUniversities and Knowledge InstitutionsRUL (University of Leiden)www.leidenuniv.nlSee also: www.bodl.bt.tudelft.nlThe Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality(LNV) considers this to be of prime importance andtherefore ensures that the necessary biotechnologyfacilities are available in the Netherlands. There aretwo reasons why LNV places such importance onbiotechnology. The first is that the agriculture andfood industries are vital to the Dutch economy. Thesecond is that the government believes thatbiotechnology can make a huge contribution to solvinga number of intractable societal and social problems,such as environmental problems and food shortages indeveloping countries. The advent of geneticallymodified crops (gm crops) is a hot topic in theNetherlands and the rest of Europe. The question iswhether conventional and organic agriculture can coexistwith the cultivation of genetically modifiedorganisms (GMOs). Through mixing and crossfertilisation,the cultivation of gm crops can lead to thecontamination of non-gm products with gmsubstances. Currently no gm crops are growncommercially in the Netherlands and there are only alimited number of small-scale field trials.The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science makespolicies, drafts legislation and appropriates publicfunds on behalf of Dutch citizens. It serves 3.5 millionpupils, students and their parents, as well as artists,curators and teachers. And it serves everyone else inthe Netherlands affected by the activities in its remit.Science Park Amsterdam is a significant terrain nearthe centre of Amsterdam. It will be developed intoEurope’s largest high-tech location over the next tenyears. At this moment the science park houses theFaculty of Science of the Universiteit van Amsterdam,several large Dutch national research institutes andabout 80 high-tech companies. Science ParkAmsterdam is historically known as a centre ofexcellence for computer-science and life-sciences. Ithouses the world’s largest internet hub (AMS-IX), thebest network and is home to many research institutesand companies which are pushing the frontiers of gridtechnology,artificial intelligence and supercomputing.The large life-science community in thepark, with its focus on medical biology, genomics andproteomics is uniquely positioned, particularly asmany opportunities exist to exploit synergies with thescience park’s computing community.Leiden is a centre of innovative life sciences research,and is the front runner in biomedical life sciencesactivities at national level. The aim of the partnersinvolved in the collaboration is to promote thecontinued development of Leiden as the centre forinnovative biomedical life sciences where the wealthof knowledge acquired can be used to benefit thewellbeing and prosperity of society.The University consists of nine faculties, a School ofManagement and a School of Education. TheUniversity houses faculties of Archaeology, Arts,Creativeand Performing Arts, Law, LUMC (Leiden UniversityMedical Center), Mathematics and Natural Sciences,Philosophy, Social and Behavioural Sciences, andTheology. Biotechnology Studies Delft Leiden is ajoint initiative of Delft University of Technology andLife Sciences in the Netherlands 14