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, artificial 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...

Dutch (Belgium)

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Joran Lauwers

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...

French (Belgium)

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Many infections affect the liver, yet little is known about the long-term impact of these infections on the liver’s immune cells. Now, a study by the teams of Prof. Jo Van Ginderachter (VIB-VUB) and Prof Kiavash Movahedi at VUB reveals long-lasting changes in the liver’s Kupffer cells following an infection. The work appears in the Journal of Hepatology. 

Past infections have long-term effects on liver immune cells 

Our immune system is a complex network of cells and molecules that work together to protect our bodies from harmful invaders like bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Among the key players in this defense system are macrophages, specialized immune cells that act as the first line of defense against infections. In the liver, a vital organ responsible for filtering, a specific type of macrophage called Kupffer cells plays a crucial role in monitoring the blood for pathogens.

Poking holes through membranes with atomic accuracy to build pocket-sized ‘molecule detectives’

Unlocking the power of nanopores

Brussels/Washington 19/07/2024 - Transmembrane β-barrel pores (TMBs) are extensively used for single-molecule DNA and RNA sequencing. They enable the miniaturization of a wide array of sensing and sequencing applications into portable USB-size devices and point-of-care technologies. A team of Belgian and American researchers has now described a general approach to design TMB pores from scratch with custom shapes and properties, opening up new opportunities for single-molecule analytics. Their results were published in Science.

Opening the door for high-efficiency gene-editing research

Improving transformation frequency in maize 

Ghent,Belgium 25/06/2024 – Maize is one of the classical model organisms for genetic research. However, the low transformation frequency remains an important bottleneck for many gene-editing applications. Researchers at the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology have made substantial strides in overcoming this bottleneck. By leveraging a combination of ternary vectors and morphogenic regulators, they have significantly boosted transformation efficiency, paving the way for more effective research and innovative applications. Their research is published in The Plant Journal.

Leuven, 18 June 2024 - Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains one of the most challenging and prevalent neurodegenerative disorders, affecting millions worldwide. In two recent studies, researchers led by Prof. Lucía Chávez Gutiérrez (VIB-KU Leuven), Prof. William Mobley (UCSD, USA), and Prof. Carsten Hopf (CeMOS, Mannheim, Germany) shed light on the role of toxic protein fragments and plaque composition in AD, offering valuable insights for future research and potential treatments.

Researchers unravel complexities of Alzheimer’s disease in protein fragments and plaque diversity

Leuven, 18 June 2024 - Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains one of the most challenging and prevalent neurodegenerative disorders, affecting millions...

Leuven, 14 June 2024 - Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are two devastating neurodegenerative diseases. Scientists have long suspected a protein called FUS might play a role, but the exact mechanism remained a mystery. A new study by the lab of Prof. Sandrine Da Cruz published in Molecular Neurodegeneration reveals how the FUS protein behaves in these diseases, which is crucial for potential therapeutic interventions.

Study reveals key protein’s role in ALS and frontotemporal dementia

Leuven, 14 June 2024 - Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are two devastating neurodegenerative diseases. ...

The CDA gene is among the top upregulated metabolic genes in immunotherapy-resistant tumors

Researchers identify a key metabolic gene as target for improved cancer immunotherapy

Leuven, 06 June 2024 – Researchers at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology have identified a potential target for cancer immunotherapy. The team, led by Professor Massimiliano Mazzone found that the CDA gene is among the top upregulated metabolic genes in immunotherapy-resistant tumors. Inhibiting this gene through pharmacologic or genetic intervention led to better T-cell infiltration, increasing effectiveness of immunotherapy in a type of pancreatic cancer called PDAC. The results of the study have been published in Nature Cancer.

Leuven, 4 June 2024 - Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), a group of heritable disorders that affect the peripheral nerves, is marked by specific genetic changes. Research by the team of Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch (VIB-KU Leuven) now reveals the effects of one such genetic cause. They found that the duplication of the gene PMP22 causes problems in the cell membrane of Schwann cells that provide the insulating cover for nerves. The results appeared in the journal Brain.

The importance of a disturbed lipid metabolism in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

Leuven, 4 June 2024 - Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), a group of heritable disorders that affect the peripheral nerves, is marked by specific...

Improving CRISPR-induced multiplex mutagenesis

Increasing experimental efficiency in plant genome editing

Ghent 07/05/2024 – CRISPR/Cas9 remains the most powerful tool to generate mutations in plant genomes. Studying the various combinations of mutations has significantly increased the scale of experimental setups, necessitating more space to grow numerous plants. Researchers from VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology have improved multiplex mutagenesis, which reduces the complexity and cost of large-scale genome editing projects. Their results have been published in The Plant Journal.

Antwerp, May 15, 2024 - Today marks a significant milestone as flanders.bio, the Flemish biotech & life sciences sector federation, and VIB, Flanders’ leading life sciences research institute, host their 10th State of the Union. This special edition, celebrating the 20th anniversary of flanders.bio, co-founded by VIB, highlights the latest developments and the vibrant growth of the biotech and life sciences cluster in Flanders, Belgium.

20 years of progress: flanders.bio and VIB put biotech and life sciences in spotlight

Antwerp, May 15, 2024 - Today marks a significant milestone as flanders.bio, the Flemish biotech & life sciences sector federation, and VIB...

CPL3 protein regulates DELLA

New insights into the GA pathway

Ghent 13/05/2024 - Gibberellic acid (GA) plays a central role in many plant developmental processes and is crucial for crop improvement. DELLA proteins function as essential core suppressors in the GA pathway. However, little is known about the regulation of these DELLA proteins. A team of researchers from the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology and the Sichuan Agricultural University (China) has now identified CPL3 as a vital regulator of DELLA. Their findings were published in New Phytologist.