Groundbreaking ceremony for facility to develop and manufacture cell therapy for chronic diseases

The sun found its way through the clouds as the first sod was cut for the advanced laboratory facility Cellerator, to be constructed on DTU’s campus in Lyngby.

Cellerator will play a key role in the development of cell therapies that can be used to treat, and potentially cure, chronic diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and various forms of cancer.

The facility is funded and owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. In his speech, Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, emphasised how vital Cellerator will be in helping to bridge the current gap in cell therapy development — from successful experiments in research laboratories to the production of therapies ready for clinical trials. This effort is not only significant from a Danish perspective, but also in a broader European context, where the ambition is for Cellerator to become a major player.

Strong Synergy Between Research and Innovation

Margrethe Vestager, Chair of DTU’s Board of Governors, expressed her enthusiasm for the location of the new facility at DTU and for the strong collaboration between DTU, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, and Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality.

“It makes perfect sense to locate Cellerator at DTU, which is a world leader in biotechnology research and exceptionally strong in innovation, both nationally and at the European level. The location offers excellent opportunities for synergy with our researchers and students, as well as with the many startups and companies that DTU supports and collaborates with,” said Margrethe Vestager.

“I look forward to seeing the contributions that technological research can make to cell therapy, and I am confident that Cellerator will also support DTU’s ambition to maintain and strengthen our position in both bio- and health technology, as well as in innovation.”

The mayor of Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality, Sofia Osmani, was the last speaker of the day. She emphasised the great importance of DTU and the upcoming Cellerator for the municipality's ambition to become one of Europe's leading cities of knowledge and universities.