Professor Melissa Little receives honorary doctorate from Leiden University

MCRI's Professor Melissa Little was presented with an honorary doctorate from Leiden University in Amsterdam on Friday, 8 February at a ceremony celebrating the university's 444th birthday.

Prof Little was recognised for her "exceptional research into potential regenerative therapies for chronic kidney diseases, in the field of systems biology of kidney development".

"Her scientific discoveries could help solve the shortage of donor organs," said nephrologist Ton Rabelink in his laudatio for Little.

"Little and her team managed to grow a fully working piece of kidney tissue in a petri dish, and this application is now used all around the world. This work radically alters the perspective of patients with a kidney disease; from chronic disease to cure."

Each year, two faculties nominate an individual who has made a substantial contribution to the development of one of the faculty's areas of research. These two scientists each receive an honorary doctorate. 

In addition to Prof Little, Dutch physicist Robbert Dijkgraaf, also received an honorary doctorate from Leiden University.