Precision medicine, also known as personalized medicine, is a type of medical research that focuses on tailored approaches to the study and treatment of different diseases, taking into account each patient’s genetic characteristics, lifestyle, and other factors. In collaboration with the Princess Máxima Center in the Netherlands, Europe’s leading institution for pediatric precision medicine, researchers from all over Europe have come to Latvia not only to study children’s diseases but also to train our researchers.

“This will allow us to participate in the development of new treatments, as well as in the development of diagnostic methods for various complex diseases, rare diseases. This includes oncology, but is not limited to it; the scope is much broader,” explained Valts Ābols, Chairman of the Board of BKUS.

Precision is the method that allows the right solution to be found, said Rob Pieters, board member of the Princess Máxima Center in the Netherlands:

“Cancer is the leading cause of death in children in both Latvia and the Netherlands. So our goal is to cure every child with cancer. That requires these very precise drugs and very precise techniques so that at the end of the day every child is cured.”

This was also emphasized by the President of the Republic of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, after the opening of the center:

“Our hope for everyone is to be able to protect our children and ourselves from getting cancer. Our hope is to be able to cure cancer when it happens. The development of the Pediatric Center of Excellence for Precision Medicine in Latvia is a step closer to these goals, bringing together the best of Latvian and international expertise and research to better understand the disease, and improve diagnosis and treatment.”

The President said that only by joining forces can we work together toward the goal of curing every child with cancer while ensuring an optimal quality of life.

A total of €34 million has been raised for the Center of Excellence. Just over €14 million is provided by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe program.

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