Life Sciences

World-class research institutes, an excellent R&D and business infrastructure, a highly-trained workforce and close proximity to numerous top universities, have made the province of Utrecht a leader in life sciences. The sector employs approximately 7000 people in around 50 companies and institutions. Diagnostics, therapeutics and services are the main life science activities with a particular focus on One Health (zoonose, human biology, pharmacology), Oncology and Stem Cells. Download factsheet

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Internationally acclaimed companies, such as American Medical Systems Europe, Amphenol, Baxter International, Inc. Bayer, Bristol-Myer Squibb, Cardinal Health, Danone Research, Dishman Pharmaceuticals, Genmab, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson Medical, Kendle International, McKesson, Roche Consumer Health, and Zimmer, already found their home in Utrecht. Dutch pioneers include Bioceros, Crossbeta Biosciences and PanGenetics.

Research Institutes

The province of Utrecht houses University Medical Center Utrecht (one of the largest academic centers in the Netherlands), Wilhelmina Children’s hospital and several internationally renowned research institutes, such as RIVM (National Institute of Public Health and the Environment), NVI (Netherlands Vaccine Institute), the Hubrecht Laboratory (Netherlands Institute for Developmental Biology and Stem Cell research), TNO Pharma, TNO Nutrition and Food and TNO Quality of Life.

Education

Utrecht University and the University Medical Center Utrecht alone educate over 7,500 students in life science disciplines. Utrecht University houses the only veterinary faculty in the Netherlands and the largest in Western Europe. The University Medical Center Utrecht finds itself in the middle of a vibrant biomedical research community: Utrecht Life Sciences. This represents a strategic alliance in education, research and entrepreneurship. Members of the alliance include Utrecht Science Park, Utrecht University, the Hubrecht Laboratory, the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, RIVM and the companies Genmab and Danone. Within Utrecht Life Sciences all Master’s and PhD programmes are combined in the Graduate School of Life Sciences. The University of Applied Sciences offers a dedicated bachelor program for lab technicians.

Access to expertise and infrastructure

Utrecht offers unbounded opportunities to create synergies between business and science. A good example is Immuno Valley, a consortium of internationally-renowned research institutes and life science companies working closely together to combat infectious diseases.



Utrecht Science Park “De Uithof”, an internationally prominent center for higher education, scientific research, academic patient care and knowledge-intensive activities, offers laboratory and office space for R&D-driven companies. Utrecht Science Park welcomes starting, growing and established research-, and knowledge- intensive companies. An additional incubator building is currently being developed. More information can be found at www.utrechtsciencepark.nl. Additionally, along highway A2 a new medical-technological estate is being developed at present ‘The Wetering South’. The Health Park will house innovative medical companies such as Simed-Stöpler and Mediq, the new St. Antonius Hospital and the Netherlands’ largest private health care boulevard with independent treatment centers, diagnosis centers, clinics, therapists, new health care concepts and a comprehensive care hotel. For more information go to www.healthpark.nl

Recently Danone announced that, starting in 2012, its R&D activities for medical & baby food will be integrated into a new innovation center at Utrecht Science Park read more

Incentives

The Netherlands provides various kinds of industry support including financial incentives and subsidies to stimulate R&D activities. Examples include the WBSO, a tax reduction for R&D wage costs and the innovation box. For more information please click here or contact us.