Post by UMCG research

Did you know that the Netherlands and Japan face similar health challenges? In both countries, there are significant health disparities between people with high and low socioeconomic status, as well as between men and women. In addition, more and more people are dealing with chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and dementia. That is why it is not surprising that UMCG dean of research Jochen Mierau was invited by prime minister Rob Jetten to speak about these issues during the state visit that Emperor Naruhito of Japan made to the Netherlands last week. During a lunch at the Mauritshuis, attended by king Willem-Alexander, he explained what connects both countries in the field of healthcare, and how scientific research can contribute to addressing these challenges. At UMCG, we conduct research in many different ways: in the lab and in clinical settings, but also using data from Lifelines_NL, where we have been following 160,000 people for almost 20 years to understand why some people become ill while others do not. Japan also has a large biobank: the Tohoku Medical Megabank. Since last year, the two biobanks have been working closely together, with researchers sharing knowledge and expertise. This is how we are working toward a shared mission: more healthy years for everyone. Read the full speech via the link in the comments 👇 Tohoku University Rijksuniversiteit Groningen