Life Sciences in the Netherlands - LIAA

DPI (Dutch Polymer Institute)P.O. Box 9025600 AX EindhovenT +31 40 247 56 29www.polymers.nlRIVM (National Institute for Public Health andthe Environment)PO Box 13720 BA BilthovenThe NetherlandsTel: +31 (0)30-2749111www.rivm.nlNWO, Division for the Chemical SciencesDr Yvonne van der MeerTel. +31 (0)70 3440758www.nwo.nlGenomics Centres of ExcellenceKluyver Centre for Genomics of IndustrialFermentationManagement OfficeJulianalaan 672628 BC DelftThe NetherlandsTel: +31 (0)15 278 6990Fax: +31 (0)15 278 2355info@kluyvercentre.nlwww.kluyvercentre.nlCentre for Medical Systems Biology (CMSB)Leidenwww.csmb.nlThe Centre for BioSystems Genomics (CBSG)Wageningenwww.biosystemsgenomics.nlThe Cancer Genomics Centre (Amsterdam)www.cancergenomics.nlmarket innovations. The development and applicationof innovative knowledge: that’s what we’re all about.DPI is a foundation funded by industry, universitiesand government set up to perform exploratory researchin the area of polymer materials. DPI operates at theinterface of universities and industry, linking thescientific skills of university research groups toindustrial need for innovation. DPI performs precompetitiveresearch projects to add value to thescientific community through scientific publicationsand to the industrial community through the creationof intellectual property. DPI provides an uniqueplatform for new technology awareness in whichparticipating industrial companies, commerciallycompetitors in the market place, communicate on apre-competitive basis to trigger innovation.RIVM’s activities focus mainly on carrying outresearch tasks commissioned by the Dutchgovernment, with statutory responsibilities in publichealth, nutrition and the environment. We alsocooperate with such international bodies as theEuropean Union and United Nations organisations,including WHO, FAO and UNEP. Reports on theseactivities can be accessed from Internet, either fromthis website or via links to other websites.Sixteen research organisations from twelve Europeancountries have joined forces inthe area of industrialbiotechnology. The network will be coordinated fromtheNWO (Netherlands Organisation for ScientificResearch) office in The Hague.The Kluyver Centre for Genomics of IndustrialFermentation is a consortium of Delft University ofTechnology, Wageningen University and ResearchCentre, Leiden University, Nijmegen University,Utrecht University, TNO, Wageningen Centre forFood Sciences, Agrotechnology and Food Innovationsand NIZO food research. It employs microbialgenomics to improve microorganisms for use inindustrial fermentation processes. Fermentation isused in the production, from renewable feedstocks, offood products and ingredients, beverages,pharmaceutical compounds, nutraceuticals, and fineand bulk chemicals. The research covers sixprogrammes: yeast fermentation, fungal fermentation,lactic acid fermentation, biocatalysis, genomics toolsincluding bioinformatics and society and genomics.The Centre for Medical Systems Biology (CMSB) is ajoint activity of Leiden University Medical Center,Leiden University, Free University Medical Centerand Free University Amsterdam, Erasmus MCRotterdam and TNO Leiden, aiming to applyinnovative multidisciplinary genomics andbioinformatics approaches to improve diagnosis,therapy and prevention of common and rare diseases.The Centre for BioSystems Genomics (CBSG) isbeing established as a Centre of Excellence under theauspices of the Netherlands Genomics Initiative. Thenetwork of scientists now spans four universities, tworesearch institutes and fifteen industrial parties in theNetherlands.The mission of the Cancer Genomics Centre is toimprove diagnosis, therapy and cure rates for cancerpatients. Genomics offers new promising opportunitiesfor cancer research, with realistic expectations forLife Sciences in the Netherlands 16