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...

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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The development of a Listeria vaccine opens a route to producing mRNA vaccines against other bacterial infections.

mRNA vaccines against bacteria: Listeria shows the way

Ghent, 17 October – The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes can lead to listeriosis after eating contaminated food. In some people, listeriosis causes sepsis and meningitis. It is rare but lethal. Around 20 – 30% of infected people don’t survive. The team of Prof. Francis Impens (VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology), together with colleagues at Ghent University, Cancer Research Institute Ghent, and other researchers, takes an important step towards a Listeria vaccine. Combining innovative antigen discovery and mRNA vaccine technologies, the study paves the way to develop much-needed vaccines against other bacteria.

By harnessing the power of thousands of gamers, the team of Prof. Lennart Martens (VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology), with colleagues of Dhaenes lab of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ghent University, intends to improve the analysis of mass spectrometry data drastically. In turn, this may advance disease diagnostics.

All in the game: VIB-UGent researchers enlist virtual space explorers to improve disease diagnostics

Most citizen science projects stand on their own. As a result, their bottleneck is often finding and engaging enough participants. But what if we could tap into an already established large audience? Say, gamers of a very popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG)?

Two VIB research teams join forces to look for biomarkers in blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples of people living with frontotemporal degeneration.

Digging for brain disease biomarkers with innovative proteomics

This brain disease causes dementia, usually at a relatively young age. Backed by 2 million USD in funding from the US Department of Defense, Rosa Rademakers (VIB & University of Antwerp) and Kris Gevaert (VIB & Ghent University) plan to enrich low-abundance disease-related proteins using an innovative proteomic workflow.

Medical Biotechnology

mRNA vaccines against bacteria: Listeria shows the way

All in the game: VIB-UGent researchers enlist virtual space explorers to improve disease diagnostics

Digging for brain disease biomarkers with innovative proteomics

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