
In the Netherlands, approximately 85 million kilograms of waste from incontinence materials are generated every year. Washable alternatives could help reduce this waste stream, but switching to washable materials is not yet common practice in healthcare. What is holding back this transition, and what is needed to make washable incontinence materials more widely applicable?

On Friday, September 25, the annual science festival ‘Utrecht Science Week’ kicks off once again at Utrecht Science Park. We are pleased to announce that this year, Prof. Dr. Ir. Juliette Legler will deliver the Utrecht Science Lecture. Juliette Legler is Professor of Toxicology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University and leads the ‘One Health Toxicology’ group at the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS).

The Earth is warming, yet the Netherlands could face much colder winters in the future. It may sound contradictory, but the explanation lies in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a large system of ocean currents that transports heat and salt through the Atlantic Ocean. This circulation plays an important role in the mild climate that we are accustomed to in the Netherlands.

Veterinary medicine is changing rapidly. New technologies and AI are entering the field, issues surrounding animal health and welfare are becoming increasingly complex, and the labour market is under pressure. At the same time, there is a growing need for professionals who not only have up-to-date expertise, but who can continue to develop throughout their careers and collaborate across disciplines.

High Five, SSH’s newest student housing complex at Utrecht Science Park, has been completed! The first residents received the keys to their new homes last week. With 921 residential units, High Five makes an important contribution to increasing the supply of student housing at Utrecht Science Park.

Survival rates for children with cancer continue to improve thanks to better diagnostics, more effective treatments and scientific research. The Princess Máxima Center and Stichting Kinderen Kankervrij (KiKa) announced the figures at the start of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Of the children diagnosed with cancer between 2010 and 2014, 83.2% were still alive ten years later. Among children diagnosed with cancer between 2000 and 2004, this figure was 77.1%. The survival figures were compiled by the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL).

Water affects everything from our health and nature to the way we design our cities and shape our economy. But how can we ensure that our water system remains resilient to climate change and other challenges in the future?

What will the doctor of the future look like? Changing insights into healthcare, technological developments such as AI, and evolving patient expectations call for a renewed approach to medical education. That is why UMC Utrecht is updating its medical curriculum under the name The New Utrecht Doctor

Maarten van der Weijden is putting on his swimming suit one last time to raise money for cancer research. From 17 to 22 August, he will swim an incredible 270 kilometers through 22 cities, with the Princess Máxima Center as his final destination. With this special challenge, he is raising money for pioneering research into the immediate and long-term effects of childhood cancer.

Various construction works are taking place in the north-west cluster of Utrecht Science Park. This is the area where the Minnaert Building and the Buys Ballot Building, amongst others, are located. To ensure that construction traffic flows more safely and efficiently through the area, a new exit is being constructed from Sorbonnelaan to Leuvenlaan.

Killing tumors with light. Is that something for the distant future? Certainly not! UMC Utrecht and start-up Lumox are now going to test an innovative therapy in a first patient study.

Can damaged brain functions be restored after a stroke? How can we make more donor hearts suitable for transplantation? And how can we prevent someone from having another ischemic stroke? These are the three questions that researchers Jord Vink, Veronique Meijborg, and Michiel Poorthuis from UMC Utrecht will be exploring over the coming years. All three have been awarded a personal Dekker Grant by the Dutch Heart Foundation to help improve care for people with cardiovascular disease.