VIB

"Find your niche and believe in it" 👉 Read our blog here: https://lnkd.in/eUcVsY4i 🧠 We recently sat down with Bart Lambrecht (𝗩𝗜𝗕-𝗨𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵) and Diether Lambrechts (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology) to hear why immune niches are such a hot topic, where the science is headed, and what they’d prioritize with unlimited funding. Recognizing the power of this emerging field, Bart and Diether - both leading researchers - launched the 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 & 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 #INCI25 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 to bring together the best minds in immunology and oncology. 📅 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 7-9 May 2025 📍 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: BMCC, Bruges ⏰ 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: 23 April 2025 - don’t miss out! We're at the start of a powerful shift in how we understand and treat cancer and chronic inflammation. Join us at the conference - and stay tuned for what’s next. 👀 #Immunology #Oncology #ImmuneNiches #CancerResearch #Inflammation #TranslationalMedicine #ScientificCollaboration #FutureOfMedicine

🧠🌍 On this #worldparkinsonday, we turn the spotlight to the CUPIDGUT project supported by our #VIBGrandchallenges Program. Find out what Arnout Bruggeman (VIB-UGent-UZGent) has to say about using fecal microbiota transplants for improving the symptoms in Parkinson patients 👉 https://lnkd.in/e2aKc26n 💡"The next step was to see if changing the intestinal bacteria composition could have a positive effect on Parkinson's disease" #ParkinsonsResearch #MicrobiomeScience #Neuroscience #TranslationalResearch #Neurodegeneration

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄? 🤔 Around 𝟲𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆 — a major hurdle in cancer treatment. 🔬 Exciting new research from Prof. Max Mazzone’s team at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology has uncovered a key player in this resistance: an enzyme called HPGDS, found in a specific subset of macrophages 🧬. By blocking HPGDS, scientists may be able to overcome immunotherapy resistance — not just in melanoma, but potentially in other cancers facing similar challenges. 👉 Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/ekBqy4Di 📖 Published in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. #CancerResearch #Melanoma #Immunotherapy #Biotech #CancerBiology #CancerImmunotherapy #TranslationalResearch

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱-𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 Read more ▶️ https://lnkd.in/eipyB-eQ 🔬 Jean-Chris Marine of VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, and Oliver Bechter of UZ Leuven, in collaboration with Presage Biosciences, Inc., have treated the first patient in an innovative phase I pilot study. This study tests a new approach 👉 injecting up to 7 different drugs directly into the tumor while also giving the patient a standard anti-PD1 therapy. Using Presage’s CIVO® microinjection device, researchers can see how the tumor reacts to different treatments at the same time. 💡The goal? To better understand how melanoma responds to treatment and improve future therapies. #CancerResearch #Melanoma #Immunotherapy #PrecisionMedicine #Oncology #Innovation

Scientists develop protein ‘seeds’ to trigger key features of ALS and frontotemporal dementia 🧠🔬 👉 Read more: https://lnkd.in/e4Vh_h59 A research team led by Professor Sandrine Da Cruz has successfully seeded the accumulation of TDP-43—a hallmark of ALS and frontotemporal dementia—using lab-engineered protein fragments. 🏗️ These findings provide further evidence for a prion-like paradigm wherein protein aggregation occurs in a templated fashion. This breakthrough provides the research field with a powerful way to model and study the mechanisms driving neurodegeneration. 📷 Image: TDP-43 aggregates (green/blue) and nuclei (gray) This research was a collaboration between VIB-KU Leuven Center For Brain & Disease Research, KU Leuven, UHasselt, with support from FWO, Muscular Dystrophy Association and Stichting Alzheimer Onderzoek Fondation Recherche Alzheimer #ALS #Dementia #Neurodegeneration #TDP43 #PrionLike #ScientificBreakthrough

Professor Jan Steyaert, Scientific Director of the VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, has been awarded the prestigious Christian B. Anfinsen Award by The Protein Society! 🏆 👉 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eyzzEPTY 🔬 His pioneering research on nanobody technology has revolutionized how we study dynamic proteins, especially G-protein-coupled receptors - key targets for many life-changing drugs. His work has not only deepened our understanding of these crucial proteins but has also paved the way for multiple spin-offs in Flanders. 📍 Jan Steyaert will receive the award at The Protein Society’s 39th Annual Symposium (June 26-29, 2025, in San Francisco, USA), where he will present his groundbreaking research in a plenary lecture. Huge congratulations on this well-deserved recognition! 🙌 Vrije Universiteit Brussel #StructuralBiology #NanobodyTechnology #GPCR #ProteinScience #Biotech #VIB #VUB #Innovation #LifeSciences #AnfinsenAward #TheProteinSociety #ScientificBreakthrough

Passionate about science, learning, and community building? 🎤📊 Our VIB Training & Conferences Team is looking for two new colleagues to join us! 👉 https://lnkd.in/eQnWG8_r We’re hiring: 📌 Project Manager Coordinate the VIB conference series (2,000+ participants annually) and implement microcredentials for lifelong learning. Shape high-quality programs that connect and inspire scientists worldwide! 📌 Data Science & AI Trainer Develop and deliver cutting-edge training programs in data science and AI for life sciences. Empower researchers with essential skills to advance their work! Join us and be part of a dynamic learning environment that fosters collaboration and innovation.💡 #Hiring #LifeSciences #AI #DataScience #Conferences #LifelongLearning

Join us at the The Franco-Belgian AGRIFOOD Summit, where industry leaders, startups, researchers, policymakers, and investors will discuss the future of food and agriculture. 🌱🌍 📅 April 2-3, 2025 📍 ILVO - Melle, Belgium 🔗 Register now: https://lnkd.in/e_eYy7M4 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮? Day 1 – Food-tech Day 🔹 Process & product innovation 🔹 Sustainable nutrition 🔹 EU regulations Day 2 – Agri-tech Day 🔹AI & robotics in agriculture 🔹Plant breeding innovations 🔹Crop & soil health 𝗪𝗵𝗼’𝘀 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴? Companies (Danone, Vandemoortele, Cargill), research institutes (VIB, KU Leuven, INRAE), innovative SMEs (Biotalys, MYCOPHYTO, Protealis, Aphea.Bio), plus investors and EU policymakers. 🎙️ Expert Insights: Don’t miss VIB researchers Hilde Nelissen and Sofie Goormachtig, who will be sharing their expertise in the panel discussions! A huge thanks to CCI FRANCE BELGIQUE, CPAG Consulting, Boortmalt, CropLife Europe, Danone, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., flanders.bio, KU Leuven, VITO, ILVO Living Lab Agrifood Technology, Flanders' FOOD, and Universiteit Gent for making this event possible, a must-attend for anyone in the agri-food innovation ecosystem!

This weekend on VRT's De Markt, Jerome Van Biervliet, VIB Managing Director, shared key insights on how VIB has been shaping Belgium’s thriving biotech scene – especially in light of AstraZeneca’s recent $1B acquisition of Esobiotec, a Walloon biotech pioneering in vivo CAR-T therapies. 🔑 What’s behind 𝟯𝟬+ 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 in Belgium? 🔹Top-tier science & cutting-edge technologies 🔹Bridging academic research with industry applications 🔹Fuelling an ecosystem of startups, talent, entrepreneurship, and bold investors Exits like Esobiotec’s not only bring international recognition - they unlock fresh capital & expertise to fuel the next wave of innovation. 💡 But there’s a clear call to action for Europe: be ambitious! We need a more attractive environment to bring innovations to market 2–3 years sooner - and close the gap with the US. 🎥 Watch the full interview: https://lnkd.in/eXCNXc9w #lifesciences #biotech #VIB #innovation #ecosystem #startups #Europe #Esobiotec #DeMarkt #EUcompetitiveness

VIB is proud to share that our spin-off, Augustine Therapeutics, has successfully completed a major Series A financing round. 🎉 👉 Read more: https://lnkd.in/e2EPUYut   This key milestone supports the company’s mission to develop next-generation therapies for neuromuscular, neurodegenerative, and cardio-metabolic diseases through its innovative and highly selective HDAC6 inhibition approach.   👏 Congratulations to the entire team at Augustine Therapeutics – we’re excited to follow your continued progress on this impactful journey!   #Biotech #Innovation #SeriesA #CharcotMarieTooth #CMTAFamily #CMTRF