People: The impact of our research on people and society
How does our research contribute to better healthcare for patients and a sustainable healthcare system?
We believe it is essential that knowledge does not remain in the laboratory but reaches patients. Through close collaboration between researchers, healthcare professionals, and partners, we ensure that scientific insights are translated into concrete applications in healthcare. In this way, our research contributes to better care for patients, today and in the future. Several examples of important research results from 2025 can be found below.
One-time gene therapy within reach for older children with the muscle disease SMA
Significant progress was made for children with the muscle disease SMA (spinal muscular atrophy). New insights into the recovery of brain cells and a central role for older children in treatment pathways contribute to better long-term care. In 2025, a one-time gene therapy also within reach for older children with the muscle disease spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). This treatment targets the genetic cause of the disease and can improve or stabilize muscle function. New insights and (international) research, to which UMC Utrecht made a significant contribution, now make treatment possible for a broader group of patients. This offers new perspective for children and their families and marks an important step in translating groundbreaking research into real-world healthcare.
Hope for babies with brain injury
In 2025, UMC Utrecht researchers made an important step in the treatment of babies with brain injury around birth. By better understanding what happens in the brain after events such as oxygen deprivation, new opportunities for recovery are emerging. Early research results offer hope that brain injury may be better limited in the future. In doing so, we contribute to improved care and a better perspective for vulnerable babies and their parents.
Breakthroughs in and subsidies for cancer research
In 2025, several breakthroughs were achieved in cancer research. IN 2025, researchers at UMC Utrecht further developed a new radiation technique for men with prostate cancer that better preserves erectile function. By targeting more precisely during radiotherapy and sparing vulnerable nerve structures, side effects can be reduced without compromising treatment effectiveness. This innovation shows how technological advancement and clinical research come together to improve not only survival, but also quality of life.
In 2025, researchers at UMC Utrecht completed a study in which they succeeded in growing bladder tumors from the urine of patients. This makes it possible in the future to test which treatment works best for each individual patient. This innovation brings personalized care for bladder cancer significantly closer.
TigaTx, a spin-off of UMC Utrecht, has received substantial subsidies from, among others, ARPA-H and the American National Cancer Institute to further develop a promising IgA antibody (TIGA-001) towards clinical application in cancer. This technology, based on UMC Utrecht research, can activate neutrophils to kill cancer cells and also offers potential new therapies for infectious diseases. The funding enables the first human studies and increases the impact of fundamental research on patient care.
Progress in more targeted treatment
In an international study led by UMC Utrecht and Amsterdam UMC, researchers have developed an intervention to improve the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections in frail older adults. The intervention resulted in a 50 percent reduction in antibiotic prescriptions for UTIs in older adults, with no signs of adverse effects.
Researchers at UMC Utrecht have found new clues about why kidney transplants sometimes fail. They discovered that specific donor protein fragments (peptides) play an important role in activating the recipient's immune system. These insights help to better understand which immune responses lead to kidney rejection. Over time, this may contribute to more targeted treatment and improved transplant survival.
