Amsterdam gets a Spinozacentrum for brain research. The universities of Amsterdam, their medical centres and the Royal Dutch Academy of Science (KNAW) have made agreements for this in December.

The city of Amsterdam supports the initiative of the KNAW by giving them a subordinated debt of 1 million euro. Mayor Job Cohen beliefs that through this centre Amsterdam will put itself “in the frontline of brain research”.

According to Theo Mulder, director research of the KNAW, it will take some time before the centre is operational. The initiative takers are still looking for 10 million. This is half of the needed funds.

In the capital, brain research is conducted at the University of Amsterdam and the Free University, in the two academic hospitals and in a number of scientific research centres. By building a combined infrastructure the parties want to bring the research to a higher level.

Brain conditions (Alzheimer, Parkinson) are part of the largest medical problems of the future. Earlier this month Top Institute Pharma announced the start of a research project to design better and safer drugs for these diseases.

Source: ANP