Prof.dr. Hans Clevers
Distinguished University Professor
“Organoids of individual patients are like avatars: they predict which drug will work best for the patient from which they derive.”
Hans Clevers is a Distinguished Professor at Utrecht University and guest scientist/advisor at the Hubrecht Institute (KNAW). He is also guest scientist/advisor of the Princess Máxima Center for pediatric oncology and Oncode Investigator.
Hans Clevers's stem-cell research plays a prominent role within the Utrecht strategic research theme Life Sciences, where Utrecht-based scientists from the fields of biology, chemistry, veterinary medicine and medicine collaborate.
The Clevers Group of the Hubrecht Institute studies the biology of Wnt detection in tissue renewal and in cancer. The discovery of Lgr5 as a marker for Wnt-dependent stem cells in various matured types of tissue led to the development of a technology that lets stem cells grow into expanding epithelial organoids.
These organoids share very many characteristics with the original tissue. That makes them suitable for use in the studying of physiological and pathological processes. Organoids grown from the patient's own cells can also be used to test medications on and predict the tissue's response to them. This personalised way of medication research is expected to open up new roads for regenerative medicine and, combined with the most modern DNA research, for gene therapy.