News A selection of news from Leiden University. News Urban nature expedition: 3,939 species found Biodiversity 07 July 2026 In May and June, 2,636 residents of Leiden, Leiderdorp, Oegstgeest and Katwijk found 3,939 species of plants, animals and fungi. From oysters to orchi... Science under pressure in the US: Cultural scholar continues her research in Leiden Tulip Fund 07 July 2026 Growing political pressure and increasing restrictions on academic freedom forced Cultural Studies scholar Maisha Wester to leave her tenured research... ‘My dream is to be able to see how the cell’s entire repair machine works’ Inaugural lecture 06 July 2026 How do cells protect our DNA from damage? Professor of Human Genetics Martijn Luijsterburg studies how DNA repair offers insight into fundamental biol... Astrophysicist collaborates on artwork that calculates the odds of your existence Art 06 July 2026 ‘Can we calculate, in one number, how impossible it is that I exist?’ Astrophysicist Yamila Miguel took this question by artist Thijs Biersteker serio... Heart valve disease: ‘We want to prevent it.’ Inaugural lecture 01 July 2026 Heart valve diseases are becoming easier to treat, but there is still much to discover about the cause and progression of these diseases. That is the ... University reflects on new strategy in times of geopolitical and digital change Strategic conference 30 June 2026 Geopolitical tensions, the rise of AI, declining student numbers... How should Leiden University respond? At the Strategic Conference on 25 June, univ... Executive Board interview: ‘Trust is a key measure’ Executive Board 30 June 2026 A new Executive Board has been leading Leiden University since mid-January. What are their impressions and their plans? An introduction in two parts. ... Person-centred care thanks to digital solutions Inaugural lecture 26 June 2026 More person-centred care with fewer people may sound contradictory, Professor Jildau Bouwman admits. But it is possible, she argues in her inaugural l... Dutch Education Award for suicide prevention: ‘A massive honour’ Teaching prize 25 June 2026 A collaboration led by psychologist Joanne Mouthaan won second prize at the Dutch Education Awards on 25 June. The team will receive €800,000 to devel... ‘The cask is the shipping container of the late Middle Ages’ Archaeology 25 June 2026 What do wooden casks tell us about trade and everyday life between 1300 and 1800? PhD candidate Jeroen Oosterbaan studied the life cycle of this shipp... All news items
