RML
Regenerative Medicine Leiden
Regenerative Medicine Leiden (RML) is a unique infrastructure built on a collaborative network of outstanding experts and facilities in Leiden with the specific aim to support cell and gene therapy innovations. The RML infrastructure is further strengthened by reNEW - the tripartite partnership between the LUMC, the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia. Our Goal: to enable new generation of cutting-edge, effective, safe, and socially sustainable therapies based on the fundamental, translational and clinical science made possible by the RML’s infrastructure and the international collaborative network of excellence of reNEW.
Infrastructure and User Services
The centre is jointly funded by a long-term (10 year) strategic partnership between the LUMC and the Novo Nordisk Foundation (NFF). To ensure success, RML places great emphasis on giving researchers in the Netherlands and abroad access to our state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure, which consists of:
- hiPSC Hotel – Service includes access to validated differentiation protocols and extensively characterized control hiPSCs (LUMC20 and LUMC99) / isolation, (re)programming and generation of hiPSCs / annual training courses on hiPSC cultivation and differentiation.
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy and close relations to NecstGen – Services include expertise in translational drug development / manufacturing, release and scaling services (GLP/GMP) / rental of grade A, B, and C clean rooms / advice and training.
- Facility for Proteomics and Metabolomics – Service includes support with / rental of state-of-the-art Metabolomics and Mass Spectrometry Imaging systems, sample preparation and analysis methodologies to perform Proteomics, Metabolomics, Glycomics, Mass Spectrometry Imaging, Bioinformatics (handling and analysis of MS data).
- Light and Electron Microscopy - Imaging facility with access to and support with high-end microscopy systems for live cell, multispectral, and high-resolution imaging / data storage support / image analysis support / sharing expertise regarding sample preparation and imaging modalities.
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility – The facility provides centralized services including access to instruments / support for instrument use / testing and acquisition of instruments / leading expertise / education and training.
Additionally, the RML can help coordinate access to facilities at the other reNEW nodes, including:
- Compound libraries for drug screening and drug development research (incl. access to reNEW custom library of 30.000 small molecules)
- Stem Cell Based Drug Discovery Facility
- Support for data science skills
Examples/description of the type of research
With access to these facilities RML aims to boost fundamental science and facilitate the translation of cell and gene therapies into therapeutic and diagnostic applications. RML not only promotes regenerative medicine and stem cell-based research, we also strengthen the pathways from scientific discovery to targeted results and commercialization. The global collaborative network of excellence in targeted biomedical research allows for the exchange of and access to knowledge, data, technologies, systems and methodologies on a broad range of research topics based on organ systems and disease (illustrated by the overview on the right).
How to access the infrastructure?
Partners/internal users (60%) have free access to the core/general infrastructure: an established operation system/intranet restricted to employees, to provide guidelines, datasets, protocols and manuals, and updates on internal news and events. Additional support and access to facility services on a cost-recovery basis.
External users (40%) have access at competitive prices that cover cost of labor, equipment depreciation and materials (lower rate academics v.s. commercial fee). Users can contact the facility directly or the RML hub for access to discuss feasibility and prices (each facility has its own business model due to the inherent differences in support, services and products). E.g., for the hiPSC Hotel 57% of users are external – 49% academic users and 8% commercial users.