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Prof. Diether Lambrechts (KU Leuven/VIB) receives the Francqui-Collen Prize 2026
Brussels, June 2, 2026 – Prof. Dr. Diether Lambrechts (KU Leuven/VIB) and Prof. Dr. Patrice Cani (UCLouvain) are the laureates of the Francqui-Collen Prize 2026, one of the highest scientific distinctions in Belgium. Today, they receive the award from the hands of King Philippe. Prof. Lambrechts is being honored for his groundbreaking genetic research into cancer treatments, while Prof. Cani is recognized for his discoveries regarding the impact of gut bacteria on lifestyle-related diseases.
Latest stories
Comprehensive atlas maps dendritic cells across cancers
Brussels, 01 June 2026 — Researchers from VIB, VUB, and an international network of collaborators have created the most comprehensive single-cell atlas to date of tumor-associated dendritic cells. By integrating data from 14 mouse tumor models and 10 human cancer types, the study provides a detailed, cross-species view of how these key immune cells are organized and altered in cancer. This work, which appeared in Nature Communications, can guide the development of next-generation therapies.
Scientists reveal how developing immune cells fine-tune their signals
Ghent, 27 May 2026 - Researchers at VIB, Ghent University, and VUB have uncovered how two proteins essential for immune cell development work together at the molecular level. The findings provide important insights into a critical mechanism that mediates the integration of molecular signals received from immunological threats. Their work appears in Nature Communications.
Molecular net boosts the power of natural biopesticides
Brussels, 19 May 2026 – Scientists at VIB and Vrije Universiteit Brussel have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that helps a widely used biological pesticide become more effective. The study, published in Nature Communications, reveals how bacteria produce ultra-strong protein fibers that form a molecular net, trapping infectious spores and toxins into a sticky film that enhances their ability to kill insect pests.
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How plants keep their root hairs alive and why that matters for crop resilience
Ghent, Belgium – 12 May 2026. Plants rely on millions of tiny hairs on their roots to absorb water and nutrients from the soil. Now, a research team at VIB and UGent led by Prof. Moritz Nowack, has discovered that the lifespan of these root hairs is governed by a surprisingly precise molecular balancing act between recycling and cell death. The findings, published in Nature Plants, open new avenues for engineering crops that are better at extracting resources from the soil.
Plants survived the dinosaur-killing asteroid by duplicating genomes
Ghent, 8 May 2025 – When an asteroid as big as Mount Everest struck Earth 66 million years ago, it wiped out all non-avian dinosaurs and roughly a third of life on the planet. But many plants survived the devastation. In a new study in Cell, researchers from VIB and Ghent University reveal that the accidental duplications of genomes might have helped many flowering plants survive some of the most extreme environmental upheavals in Earth’s history. This strategy could help plants adapt to the rapid climate changes unfolding today.
New research brings personalized treatment for Parkinson’s disease a step closer
Leuven, 5 May 2026 – A new study led by researchers from VIB and KU Leuven shows that Parkinson’s disease can be divided into distinct subtypes, helping explain why a single treatment does not work for all patients. Using an machine-learning-driven analysis, the team identified two main groups and five subgroups of the disease, marking an important step toward more personalized therapies. The findings were recently published in Nature Communications.
New lung cancer model reveals how tumor location shapes the immune response
Brussels, 27 April 2026 – Researchers at VIB and VUB have developed a powerful new way to study how the immune system behaves inside lung tumors. By combining a patient-relevant mouse model with single-cell technologies, the team provides one of the most comprehensive immune maps to date of lung adenocarcinoma, which is the most common subtype of lung cancer. Their work appears in Nature Communications.
Molecular keyhole sheds light on pain and epilepsy
Leuven, 21 April 2026 – Researchers at VIB, VUB, and KU Leuven have identified a tiny binding site, a molecular ’keyhole’, in the TRPM3 ion channel, a crucial sensor in pain signaling. TRPM3 is also linked to rare neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy. In a recent study published in Nature Communications, the researchers found that even the slightest change in this keyhole can radically switch the channel’s behavior, explaining how certain mutations can flip the effects of drugs.
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Designing better membrane proteins by embracing imperfection
Brussels, 14 April 2026 — Scientists at the VIB–VUB Center for Structural Biology have uncovered a counterintuitive principle that could reshape how membrane proteins are designed from scratch: sometimes, making a protein less stable helps it fold correctly. In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers demonstrate that introducing carefully placed ‘imperfections’, a strategy known as negative design, enables synthetic membrane proteins to fold and assemble efficiently in artificial membranes.
Could the future of brewing be found in a remote Scandinavian farmhouse?
A large-scale genetic study of traditional farmhouse breweries in Scandinavia and the Baltic region has uncovered a remarkable reservoir of beer yeast diversity that may resemble the rich microbial landscape of Europe’s pre-industrial breweries. The study, led by Prof. Kevin Verstrepen (VIB and KU Leuven) and published in Current Biology, suggest that this living archive of yeasts could inspire a new generation of brewing innovation.
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New tool makes gene regulation easier to study—and tweak
Leuven, 2 April 2026 - Understanding how genes are switched on and off in specific cell types remains one of biology’s central challenges. While AI has made major progress in decoding the regulatory logic of DNA, applying these approaches across datasets, tissues, and species has remained difficult. In a new Nature Methods paper, a research team led by Prof. Stein Aerts (VIB & KU Leuven) presents CREsted, a software package that enables both the analysis and design of gene regulatory elements in a systematic and scalable way.
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