Hans Clevers is 'the organoid architect'

The scientific journal Science publishes an extensive story about how professor Hans Clevers came to his pioneering work with mini-organs (so-called organoids). For Clevers, the bonanza has come as a surprise. A basic biologist at heart, he says he never had real-world applications in mind. “I was always driven by curiosity,” he says. “For 25 years we published papers with no practical relevance for anyone on this planet.” But that has definitely changed. In the article, several prominent scientists talk about the impact of Clevers' work.

Hans Clevers is professor of Molecular Genetics at Utrecht University and the UMC Utrecht, Principal Investigator at the Hubrecht Institute (KNAW) and the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology and Oncode Investigator.