Latest stories

Belgian researchers develop AI tool to improve diagnosis of rare immune disorders

Researchers from VIB and Ghent University, in close collaboration with clinicians at Ghent University Hospital, have developed PIDgeon, an explainable artificial intelligence pipeline that supports faster and more reliable diagnosis of primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs). The tool was successfully validated in nearly 1.000 patients across multiple European centers, marking an important step toward future clinical application. The study is published in Clinical Chemistry.

European Life Sciences Coalition launched to strengthen Europe’s life sciences investment ecosystem

Scientists discover new gatekeeper cell in the brain

Ghent, 12 February 2026 – VIB and Ghent University researchers have identified and characterized a previously unknown cellular barrier in the brain, which sheds new light on how the brain is protected from the rest of the body. In a study published in Nature Neuroscience, the scientists also reveal a new pathway by which the immune system can impact the brain.

Researchers develop more reliable platform to test antibody medicines

Ghent, 30 January 2026 – An international research consortium has validated a new platform that could change how antibody medicines are tested and brought to patients. The work, published in Science Immunology, highlights problems during conventional antibody drug testing and introduces a next-generation mouse model that makes it possible to predict the effects of antibody drugs in humans more accurately.

Researchers uncover axonal protein synthesis defect in ALS

Leuven, January 12, 2026 – Researchers at VIB and KU Leuven have identified a molecular process that allows motor neurons to maintain protein production, a process that fails in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, reveals an early weakness in neurodegeneration and highlights a potential target for future therapies.

Key lung immune cells can intensify allergic reactions

New research by scientists at VIB and UGent reveals that immune cells in the lung, long thought to protect against inflammation, can, under certain conditions, make allergic reactions such as asthma worse. Their work appears in the journal Immunity.

RSV vaccines could offer protection against asthma

Ghent, November 28, 2025 – Belgian scientists from VIB and Ghent University (UGent), together with Danish collaborators, have uncovered compelling evidence that early-infancy infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) significantly increases the risk of developing childhood asthma—especially in children with a family history of allergy or asthma. Their study, published today in Science Immunology, suggests that protecting newborns against RSV could substantially reduce asthma cases later in life.

New immune process identified that may alleviate Alzheimer's disease

Belgian collaboration drives new momentum in amyloidosis care and research 

World Amyloidosis Day – 26 October | First benefit concert supports new Fund 

Psoriasis-linked gene mutation also impacts gut health 

VIB researchers and colleagues uncover an unexpected role for psoriasis-associated gene CARD14 in intestinal function and disease. 

Belgian scientists discover how cells protect our skin from inflammatory disease – paving the way for new treatments

Researchers at VIB and Ghent University have uncovered a key mechanism that protects the skin from harmful inflammation