VIB’s core mission is to generate disruptive insights in the molecular underpinning of life and to translate these actively into impactful innovations for patients and society. VIB is an independent research institute where some 1,800 top scientists from Belgium and abroad conduct pioneering basic research. As such, they are pushing the boundaries of what we know about molecular mechanisms and how they rule living organisms such as human beings, animals, plants, and microorganisms. Based on a close partnership with five Flemish universities – Ghent University, KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Hasselt University – and supported by a solid funding program, VIB unites the expertise of all its collaborators and research groups in a single institute. VIB’s technology transfer activities translate research results into concrete benefits for society such as new diagnostics and therapies and agricultural innovations. These applications are often developed by young start-ups from VIB or through collaborations with other companies. This also leads to additional employment and bridges the gap between scientific research and entrepreneurship. VIB also engages actively in the public debate on biotechnology by developing and disseminating a wide range of science-based information. More info can be found on www.vib.be.

VIB’s core mission is to generate disruptive insights in the molecular underpinning of life and to translate these actively into impactful...

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Joran Lauwers

Het is de kerntaak van VIB om baanbrekende inzichten te genereren in de moleculaire onderbouwing van het leven en deze actief te vertalen naar impactvolle innovaties voor patiënten en de maatschappij. VIB is een onafhankelijk onderzoeksinstituut waar zo'n 1.800 topwetenschappers uit binnen- en buitenland baanbrekend fundamenteel onderzoek verrichten. In die hoedanigheid verleggen ze de grenzen van wat we weten over moleculaire mechanismen en hoe die levende organismen zoals mensen, dieren, planten en micro-organismen beheersen. Op basis van een nauw partnerschap met vijf Vlaamse universiteiten - Universiteit Gent, KU Leuven, Universiteit Antwerpen, Vrije Universiteit Brussel en Universiteit Hasselt - en ondersteund door een sterk financieringsprogramma, verenigt VIB de expertise van al haar medewerkers en onderzoeksgroepen in één enkel instituut. Via technologietransfer vertaalt VIB onderzoeksresultaten naar concrete toepassingen voor de maatschappij, zoals nieuwe diagnostica, geneesmiddelen en innovaties in de landbouw. Deze toepassingen worden vaak ontwikkeld door jonge startups van VIB of door samenwerkingen met andere bedrijven. Dit leidt ook tot extra werkgelegenheid en overbrugt de kloof tussen wetenschappelijk onderzoek en ondernemerschap. VIB neemt ook actief deel aan het publieke debat over biotechnologie door een brede waaier van wetenschappelijk onderbouwde informatie te ontwikkelen en te verspreiden. Meer info op www.vib.be.

Het is de kerntaak van VIB om baanbrekende inzichten te genereren in de moleculaire onderbouwing van het leven en deze actief te vertalen naar...

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Surrey, 28 September - A research team led by Prof. Inga Prokopenko (the University of Surrey) and Dr. Vasiliki Lagou (VIB-KU Leuven) unveiled three significant discoveries about type 2 diabetes. This research has illuminated the profound influence of genetics on treatment response, uncovered the direct link between type 2 diabetes and reduction in lung function, and unraveled the pivotal role of the gastrointestinal tract in regulating blood sugar levels. The study’s findings have significant implications, ranging from personalized diabetes care to early detection of lung complications. Published in Nature Genetics, this extensive research engaged nearly half a million individuals from diverse backgrounds and harnessed the collective expertise of over a hundred scientists worldwide.

Triple discovery unveils insights into type 2 diabetes

Surrey, 28 September - A research team led by Prof. Inga Prokopenko (the University of Surrey) and Dr. Vasiliki Lagou (VIB-KU Leuven) unveiled...

AB Biotek, a division of Associated British Foods, has partnered with VIB, Flanders’ leading life sciences research institute, on research collaboration and the development of core inputs within the global bioethanol industry.

VIB and AB Biotek join forces to develop superior yeast strains for bioethanol production

AB Biotek, a division of Associated British Foods, has partnered with VIB, Flanders’ leading life sciences research institute, on research...

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.

New study reveals distinct triggers for gut and joint inflammation using germ-free mouse technology.  

Untangling gut and joint inflammation in arthritis 

Ghent, 11 September 2023 – Scientists at the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research shed new light on the relationship between gut and joint inflammation. Their study challenges previous assumptions that joint inflammation is driven by alterations in the gut, including changes in the intestinal microbiome. The new study proves that severe arthritis can develop in the complete absence of intestinal bacteria and intestinal inflammation. Disconnecting this gut-joint axis opens the door to tissue- and patient-specific therapeutic interventions. The work appears in EMBO Molecular Medicine.

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.

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...

A fully automated machine learning algorithm predicts bone marrow inflammation in MRI scans

AI assists in arthritis diagnosis based on MRI images 

Ghent, 28 August 2023 – A fully automated machine learning algorithm can now predict bone marrow inflammation, known as bone marrow edema, in MRI scans. This innovative algorithm, developed by the teams of Prof. Yvan Saeys and Prof. Dirk Elewaut at the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research and colleagues at University Hospital Ghent (UZGent), offers an objective and standardized way to evaluate inflammatory lesions, and it has the potential to impact the diagnosis and treatment of spondyloarthritis patients significantly. The work appears in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Inflammatory agent Interleukin-6 fires up complement system

Immune system causes lung damage in COVID patients

Ghent, 24/08/2023 – Researchers at the Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University and the Université Libre de Bruxelles have figured out how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, causes severe lung damage. The complement system, part of our innate defenses, is to blame. The breakthrough could potentially lead to new treatment options.

New microfluidic device improves the time resolution of trEM almost tenfold. 

VIB research tackles the bottleneck of time-resolved Cryo-EM 

Brussels, 18 August 2023 – Time-resolved cryo-electron microscopy (trEM) is a method to visualize how proteins function in time at near-atomic resolution. Although this method was pioneered in 1990, the potential of this technique has remained elusive because of two bottlenecks. One is the excessive consumption of proteins, and the other is that the time resolution is too low. Researchers from the lab of Prof. Rouslan Efremov of the VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology developed a microfluidic device that tackles both issues. Their results were published in Nature Methods.

New tools, including a deep learning model, predict the functionality of proteins, even in non-model organisms

Deep learning helps to find new targets in soy for crop improvement

Ghent, 3 August 2023 – Crop genetic diversity is a powerful tool to adapt crops to a changing climate. However, to select the best candidates in the plant breeding process, we must know and understand the complex biochemical networks underlying plant growth and development. To achieve this, researchers from the North Carolina State University (USA), the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology and ILVO (Belgium) have developed tools, including a deep learning model, that predict the functionality of proteins, even in non-model organisms. This represents a significant advance in systems biology and provides more reliable predictions on which locations to target in the genome. The work appears in Nature Communications.

Study reveals that myeloid cells play a crucial role in the accumulation of liposomes in inflamed tissues

New study challenges prevailing theory of liposomal accumulation and improves drug delivery to inflamed tissues

Liposomes have been extensively studied as carriers for drugs that specifically target inflamed tissues. These microscopic lipid-based particles have the potential to improve the delivery of drugs by protecting them and enhancing their stability, bioavailability, and safety. It was previously believed that liposomes primarily accumulate in inflamed areas by passing through gaps in the blood vessel walls known as endothelial gaps. This phenomenon, known as the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect, has been widely accepted as the main mechanism for liposomal accumulation in inflamed tissues.