Press release

Focusing on people’s health and medical innovation: LNS is celebrating the tenth anniversary of becoming a public institution.

The Laboratoire national de santé (LNS) is celebrating its ringing in its tenth year in its current organisation. The law of 7 August 2012 saw the LNS becoming a multidisciplinary institute under the authority of the Ministry of Health.

Currently, the LNS has one administrative department as well as four scientific departments in the fields of medical biology, microbiology, forensic medicine, and health protection. In addition, the National Centre of Pathology and the National Center of Genetics have housed in the state-of-the-art building in Dudelange for 4 years.

Constantly improving analytical activities – driving innovation forward 

The law of 7 August 2012 tasks the LNS with developing analytical and scientific activities in the fields of prevention, diagnosis, and observation of human diseases, in order to act as a national control or reference laboratory and carry out a wide range of activities in the field of legal medicine.

In addition, the LNS directly engages in clinical genetics counselling and contributes to the development and promotion of innovative laboratory investigations, working hand in hand with analytical laboratories in both Luxembourg and abroad. The international team also pursues multiple research and teaching activities and, last but not least, plays an important role in medical training in Luxembourg.

International expertise – top-level technological equipment

Thanks to the modern infrastructure in Dudelange and the constant development of its medical and analytical capacities, the LNS is today a laboratory that is constantly improving its expertise in the field of public health, all the while consistently pushing ahead with innovative projects. The LNS’ Director Prof. Friedrich Mühlschlegel says:

“Today we are a public health laboratory in the most modern sense of the word. We perform traditional analytical and diagnostic tasks and use international expertise and technological equipment at the highest level. This also enables us to initiate or participate in national and international research projects.”

Promoting medical care – strengthening the health location

The LNS strives incessantly to strength Luxembourg’s status as a health hub, synonymous with excellence and innovation, in order to offer the country and its people the best medical care possible. Friedrich Mühlschlegel continues:

“In the past years, we have built on the rich history of the LNS, all the while creating something new. For example, Luxembourg is now armed with substantial competences in clinical genetics and cross-border forensic medicine services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we showed that together as LNS we are highly responsive, can handle a crisis, and we have continued with this momentum to consistently implement our claim to excellence and our professional values with passion and patience.”

Nearly 400 experts make a lasting innovative mark every day

In line with longstanding tradition, the LNS is continuing a path paved more than 120 years ago, as Minister of Health Paulette Lenert explains:

“Already in the 19th century, there was a laboratory of the Collège Médical. Then, in 1897, the Laboratoire pratique de Bactériologie was created, which, after several reorganisations, was renamed Laboratoire national de santé in 1980. Today, we in Luxembourg are proud to have an internationally renowned laboratory in which almost 400 experts from various disciplines work for our public health and in doing so are also creating a legacy in research and innovation.”