LUMC Center for Infectious Diseases

Leiden researchers began research into infectious diseases such as Ebola and SARS 25 years ago. With the knowledge that it has acquired, the LUMC has become the research and knowledge centre in the Netherlands in the field of infectious diseases. The Centre for Infectious Diseases comprises the departments of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology and Medical Microbiology. Within these departments various research groups look for new ways to treat and prevent infectious diseases. The LUMC has excellent research facilities, including a special BSL3 lab. The LUMC is located at the Leiden Bio Science Park, where we collaborate with various international companies such as Janssen Pharmaceutica as well as with start-ups, and use is made of our test facilities. Internationally, our researchers work with various European partners. The Centre for Infectious Diseases has an international reputation and excellent facilities, and the LUMC research groups there are frequently asked to test potential virus inhibitors and candidate vaccines in the battle against coronavirus. We are doing this actively. Current research

An important research project that started immediately after the outbreak of the corona pandemic is the SCORE project: a study of antiviral therapies against corona. The LUMC is working with seven European partners in this project, among which Utrecht University, Universität Bern and Janssen Pharmaceutica. This LUMC research group expects to start more research projects in the near future into the development of vaccines and virus inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2. This will require expanding its facilities and research team. Another research currently underway is a collaboration with the Leiden pharmaceutical company Janssen. The LUMC's Department of Medical Microbiology is investigating the effect of a new experimental vaccine. Dutch pediatricians, led by the Willem Alexander Children's Hospital of the LUMC, have started systematically collecting data from children who come into the hospital due to an infection with the coronavirus. They hope to learn more about the expression, course and treatment of COVID-19 in children. You can read more information about this on www.covidkids.nl. Name

The name of the virus is: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The WHO has named the disease that causes SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19. This was based on research in which Leiden played an important role.