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After 10 years of serving as chair of the UMC Utrecht strategic programme Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cells (RM&SC), Marianne Verhaar has handed over the role to Jeffrey Beekman. With this transition, Jeffrey Beekman will take on a central role in further strengthening this research area.

“Within the RM&SC strategic programme, we focus on expanding our understanding of the processes that govern living tissues, with the aim of developing applications that enhance the body’s ability to heal itself. Over the past decade, Marianne has played a key role in the development of both the RM&SC strategic programme and the unique Regenerative Medicine Utrecht (RMU) community,” Jeffrey Beekman, professor of Cellular Disease Models, reflects. “I admire how, as chair, she fostered connections and collaboration as a cornerstone for sustainable development.”

Leading the DRIVE-RM consortium

Marianne Verhaar, professor of Experimental Nephrology, will now focus on leading the DRIVE-RM consortium, which was awarded a SUMMIT Grant in 2024. The consortium focuses on material-driven regeneration, using intelligent, lifelike, or even living materials that can prompt the human body to generate new tissue. This could radically change the treatment of chronic diseases such as kidney failure, heart failure, and worn joints.

The future looks promising—the next decade promises to be spectacular.

Team player and leading scientist

Jeffrey has proven himself to be a team player and leading scientist with an impressive research portfolio. His work primarily focuses on the use of organoids – miniature tissues grown from stem cells – for research into regenerative therapies and personalized treatments. This technology offers promising opportunities to better understand complex diseases and develop new treatments.

Jeffrey Beekman: “In the coming years, I expect that our preclinical research will remain at the highest level, while we become increasingly successful in translating innovations into applications for patients. The future looks promising—the next decade promises to be spectacular.”