VIB is an independent research institute that translates insights in biology into impactful innovations for society. Collaborating with the five Flemish universities, it conducts research in plant biology, cancer, neuroscience, microbiology, inflammatory diseases, artifical intelligence and more. VIB connects science with entrepreneurship and stimulates the growth of the Flemish biotech ecosystem. The institute contributes to solutions for societal challenges such as new methods for diagnostics and treatments, as well as innovations for agriculture. Learn more at www.vib.be.

VIB is an independent research institute that translates insights in biology into impactful innovations for society. Collaborating with the five...

Explore the fascinating science of the brain

VIB is een onafhankelijk onderzoeksinstituut dat inzichten in de biologie vertaalt naar impactvolle innovaties voor de samenleving. Het werkt samen met de vijf Vlaamse universiteiten en diverse partners in de biotechsector en doet onderzoek in plantenbiologie, kanker, neurowetenschap, microbiologie, ontstekingsziekten, artificiële intelligentie en meer. VIB verbindt wetenschap met ondernemerschap en stimuleert zo de groei van de Vlaamse biotech. Het instituut draagt bij aan oplossingen voor maatschappelijke uitdagingen, zoals nieuwe methoden voor diagnose en behandeling en landbouwinnovaties. Meer info op www.vib.be. 

VIB is een onafhankelijk onderzoeksinstituut dat inzichten in de biologie vertaalt naar impactvolle innovaties voor de samenleving. Het werkt...

Joran Lauwers

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Leuven, 22 April 2024 - On Monday, 22nd April, Princess Astrid visited the lab of Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch and Prof. Philip Van Damme at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research. In 2023, Ludo was awarded the Generet Prize for his research on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This prize, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation, carries a grant of 1 million euros, making it the most prestigious award for rare disease research in Belgium and Europe.

Princess Astrid visits the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research

Leuven, 22 April 2024 - On Monday, 22nd April, Princess Astrid visited the lab of Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch and Prof. Philip Van Damme at the ...

APP-CTFs disrupt organellar communication, interfering with cellular homeostasis

New mechanism uncovered in early stages of Alzheimer's disease

Leuven, 16 April 2024 – Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains one of the most challenging and prevalent neurodegenerative disorders, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. In a new study published in Developmental Cell, researchers from the lab of Wim Annaert (VIB-KU Leuven) have identified a novel mechanism potentially connected to the early stages of AD. They demonstrated that a fragment of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), called APP-CTF, disrupts communication between cellular compartments crucial for calcium storage and waste disposal, which could be an early event preceding neuronal cell death. These findings, with potential implications for the development of new AD treatments, suggest that preventing APP-CTF accumulation needs to be taken into account to develop more effective treatments.

New research unveils how spinal cord nerve cells can learn and remember—completely independent of the brain 

Wired to learn and remember 

Leuven, 11 April 2024 — The role of the spinal cord is often simplified to that of a simple relay station, carrying messages between the brain and the body. However, the spinal cord can actually learn and remember movements on its own. A team of researchers at the Leuven-based Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders (NERF) details how two different neuronal populations enable the spinal cord to adapt and recall learned behavior in a way that is completely independent of the brain. These remarkable findings, published today in Science, shed new light on how spinal circuits might contribute to mastering and automating movement. The insights could prove relevant in the rehabilitation of people with spinal injuries.

Ghent (Belgium), 4 April – Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease that affects millions worldwide. Now, a groundbreaking clinical study conducted by researchers at Ghent University Hospital, VIB, and Ghent University has demonstrated the potential of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to improve symptoms in patients with PD. This research, published in eClinicalMedicine, provides promising evidence that FMT could be a valuable new treatment for this debilitating disorder.

Stool transplant shows promise for Parkinson's disease

Ghent (Belgium), 4 April – Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease that affects millions worldwide. Now, a groundbreaking...

Leuven, Antwerp, and London, 27 March – Microglia are specialized immune cells in the brain. While they normally protect our brains, they can also contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. The exact mechanism behind this contribution is not yet fully understood due to the complexities involved in studying them in human brain samples. Now, a research team led by Prof. Bart De Strooper (UK-DRI@UCL and VIB-KU Leuven) and Prof. Renzo Mancuso (VIB-UAntwerp) made a xenotransplantation model – mice with stem-cell-derived human microglia in their brains to observe how human microglia respond to the disease environment. Their findings, published in Nature Neuroscience, will help scientists better understand the complex mechanisms involved in Alzheimer's disease.

Understanding the role of microglia in Alzheimer’s disease

Leuven, Antwerp, and London, 27 March – Microglia are specialized immune cells in the brain. While they normally protect our brains, they can also...

Leuven, 23 January - We spend around one-third of our lives sleeping, yet scientists still don't entirely understand how sleep works and why it's so important. Published in Nature Neuroscience, researchers from the Fly Sleep Lab of Prof. Sha Liu at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research use single-cell technology to define sleep at the smallest unit possible – the expression of individual genes. Their discoveries pave the way to unraveling sleep's underlying biological mechanisms.

Fruit flies provide insights into the hidden world of sleep

Leuven, 23 January - We spend around one-third of our lives sleeping, yet scientists still don't entirely understand how sleep works and why it's...

Leuven, 22 December – Ever wondered what sets our human brain apart from our primate relatives? Now, scientists led by Baptiste Libé-Philippot, Joris De Wit, and Pierre Vanderhaeghen at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research discovered a piece of this puzzle. They identified a gene that is selectively expressed in human neurons and plays a pivotal role in regulating electrical excitability, a fundamental aspect of brain function that can be disrupted in neurological alterations such as epilepsy and autism. The study, published in Cell, sheds light on the evolution of the human brain and advances our understanding of neurological disorders.

Scientists shed light on what makes human neurons function differently from those of other animals

Leuven, 22 December – Ever wondered what sets our human brain apart from our primate relatives? Now, scientists led by Baptiste Libé-Philippot...

Leuven, 13 December - In a pioneering study published in Nature, Professor Stein Aerts and his team at VIB.AI and the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research describe a novel approach that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to guide the creation of synthetic DNA sequences. Their AI model was able to design functional enhancers, 'on switches' that can activate specific genes. The results represent a next step in decoding gene regulation and hold promise for future developments in gene therapy.

From code to control: scientists use AI to craft synthetic DNA

Leuven, 13 December - In a pioneering study published in Nature, Professor Stein Aerts and his team at VIB.AI and the VIB-KU Leuven Center for...

On Friday, Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid visited the lab of Prof. Rosa Rademakers at the VIB-UAntwerpen Center for Molecular Neurology. In 2021, Rademakers was awarded the Generet Prize for her research on rare forms of dementia. This prize, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation, carries a grant of 1 million euros, making it the most prestigious award for rare disease research in Belgium and Europe.

Princess Astrid visits the VIB-UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology

On Friday, Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid visited the lab of Prof. Rosa Rademakers at the VIB-UAntwerpen Center for Molecular Neurology. In...

Neurons are triggered into programmed cell death following exposure to amyloid plaques and tau tangles

New study discovers how neurons die in Alzheimer’s disease

Leuven, 15 September 2023 – A research team led by Prof. Bart De Strooper (VIB-KU Leuven and the UK Dementia Research Institute) and Dr. Sriram Balusu (VIB-KU Leuven) has finally discovered how neurons die in Alzheimer’s disease. Subject of scientific discussion for the past decades, a breakthrough research paper published in Science illustrates how neurons initiate a programmed form of cell death, known as necroptosis, when they are exposed to amyloid plaques and tau tangles – the hallmark misfolded proteins implicated in Alzheimer’s. More importantly, the research team was able to prevent the death of neurons, rescuing them in the process. The discovery opens new pathways for potential future treatments.

Research hone in on how a brain region called the superior colliculus integrates sensory information with contextual cues to respond appropriately to danger.

Fight or flight? It depends…

Our instinct to flee, freeze, or fight in the face of danger is hardwired in our brains. Still, how we respond to danger doesn’t only depend on the threat in front of our eyes. In this week’s issue of ScienceAdvances, researchers from the Farrow lab at Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders (NERF, empowered by imec, KU Leuven, and VIB) hone in on how a brain region called the superior colliculus integrates sensory information with contextual cues to respond appropriately to danger.

Leuven, 25 May 2023 - Although millions of people are affected by Alzheimer’s disease, there are still many unknowns about the underlying mechanisms of the disorder. In their latest research, scientists from the lab of Wim Annaert (VIB-KU Leuven) uncovered a piece of the mechanistic puzzle by showing how a gene variation in the neurons’ ‘garbage disposal’ system can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

How garbage disposal clogs in cells can lead to Alzheimer’s

Leuven, 25 May 2023 - Although millions of people are affected by Alzheimer’s disease, there are still many unknowns about the underlying...

Neuroscience