SpectaCell launches with €6 million to transform drug development and bring better immune therapies to patients faster

New cell analysis platform helps developers understand how treatments perform, enabling earlier decisions and a more efficient path from research to manufacturing and patients.

Rainbow Crops and Vylor partner to accelerate development of novel gene-edited corn trait

Hidden protein recycling hubs discovered inside human sperm cells

New study reveals unexpected structures that may help shape fertility and early embryonic development

How plants evolved a molecular switch to cope with heat

Ghent, 26 August – As climate change drives more frequent and intense heat waves, plants face growing challenges to survive and remain productive. Researchers at VIB, Ghent University, KU Leuven, and their international collaborators have now uncovered an evolutionary innovation that helps plants cope with high temperatures. Published in Nature Plants, the study uncovers a molecular mechanism that helps plants stay cool under heat stress and could help researchers identify new ways to strengthen crop resilience.

Mapping plant-fungus symbiosis, cell by cell

Ghent, 18 August 2026 – Scientists at VIB and Ghent University have produced the first high-resolution, cell-by-cell map of how tomato roots respond to colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. These ancient fungal partners help plants absorb nutrients from the soil. The study, published in Current Biology, reveals the precise molecular programs that unfold as the symbiosis progresses through different stages, and identifies promising new genetic regulators that could one day be used to engineer more efficient, sustainable crops.

Immune cells rely on a cholesterol sensor to maintain balance

VIB researchers uncover an unexpected mechanism that helps dendritic cells process dying cells and maintain immune tolerance

Cancer cells hijack a fatty acid to escape immune attack in liver metastases

Researchers uncover how metastatic tumors suppress neutrophils and identify a promising therapeutic target

3D genome mapping in rare immune cells reveals new Crohn’s disease genes

Antwerp, 4 August 2026 - A new study co-led by Prof. Valeriya Malysheva, group leader at the VIB-UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology, has been published in Nature Genetics. The work uncovers how the three-dimensional organization of DNA in rare immune cells can help explain genetic risk for Crohn’s disease and other autoimmune conditions.

How our body's natural recycling system could help reduce inflammation

Leuven, Belgium, 28 July 2026 – Researchers at VIB and KU Leuven, together with international collaborators, have discovered that blocking autophagy – the body's natural recycling system for worn-out cell components – in specialized blood vessels can reduce inflammation in mice with psoriasis. Unlike many current therapies, this strategy reduces inflammation without weakening the immune system. The findings, published in the journal Immunity, reveal a promising new approach for treating chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Fatty liver drives a more dangerous form of cancer spread

Leuven, 1 July 2026 – Researchers at VIB and KU Leuven, with international partners, have uncovered how fatty liver disease can fuel the most aggressive form of metastatic colorectal cancer. The findings, which appear in the leading journal Nature, not only explain why some patients face dramatically poorer outcomes but also highlight how metabolic conditions such as fatty liver disease may directly influence cancer progression, paving the way for more precise therapies tailored to a patient’s metabolic health.

Rainbow Crops raises €9.7M seed round to scale AI-driven multiplex gene editing for next-generation crops

The round was led by Italian venture capital company LIFTT, together with its vehicle LIFTT EuroInvest