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VIB Blog

On our blog, you can find content curated by the VIB community. Discover our research through the eyes of our scientists.Want to be kept...

Get to know the researchers driving cutting-edge research at VIB and delve into the latest advancements in life sciences.

VIB Blog: Insights and innovations in life sciences research

Op onze blog vindt u inhoud samengesteld door de VIB-gemeenschap. Ontdek ons onderzoek door de ogen van onze wetenschappers.

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VIB and J&J team up to harness bacterial enzymes for peptide synthesis

"Bacteria are brilliant chemists" 

Peptides make powerful drugs, but they are difficult to synthesize. The pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson teams up with VIB experts to explore how to harness the biosynthetic creativity of microbes to make peptide mass manufacturing more cost-effective and sustainable.

The field of synthetic biology has seen remarkable developments in the last decade or two

(Re)building life: The past, present, and future of synthetic biology 

If we understand living systems as wholes constructed from parts, can we design new parts or redesign existing ones to build living systems and components according to desired specifications?

Exploring metabolomics with Sandrien Desmet of the VIB Metabolomics Core Ghent 

Deciphering metabolism with Sandrien Desmet

Every second, countless chemical reactions power the processes that keep us alive. From breaking down food for energy to detoxifying harmful substances, our cells are constantly producing and using tiny molecules called metabolites. These metabolites are the byproducts of metabolism – the chemical engine that drives all living organisms.

A collaborative fellowship program offering cutting-edge career development for scientists in research infrastructure

Advancing career pathways in research infrastructure with ARISE2

VIB is excited to announce its participation in ARISE2, the European career accelerator designed to foster the growth and expertise of scientists working within research infrastructures. This MSCA-funded postdoctoral fellowship program, launched by EMBL, aims to cultivate the next generation of technophile infrastructure scientists through an intensive three-year fellowship. ARISE2 not only provides specialized training in advanced technology development but also supports interdisciplinary collaboration, professional skills building, and tailored career support.

Henne joins the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research as new PI

Meet Henne Holstege

Henne Holstege has spent her career exploring the genetics of neurodegenerative diseases and healthy aging. Her groundbreaking research on cognitively healthy centenarians has been instrumental in understanding how certain individuals defy age-related cognitive decline, potentially paving the way to new, protective approaches against Alzheimer’s and other age-related diseases. As of November 1st, Holstege joins the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research in Leuven to dive deeper into the molecular mechanisms that underlie aging.

Meet Jan Remsik, a new group leader at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology. As he embarks on this exciting chapter of his career, his PhD student Alia Fazal Salom took the opportunity to ask him a few questions.

Meet group leader Jan Remsik, who studies brain metastasis

Thank you. I come from Bratislava but spent quite some time in New York City, from where I moved to Belgium. And one of the things I am looking forward the most to enjoying here is, obviously, the Belgian chocolate!

BE.Amycon is an initiative uniting scientists, doctors, and patients in Belgium to combat amyloidosis. Learn about the project’s goals, key players, and the importance of collaboration for advancing diagnosis and treatment on World Amyloidosis Day.

BE.Amycon: A United Front Against Amyloidosis in Belgium

For World Amyloidosis Day on 26 October, we introduce BE.Amycon, a new VIB Grand Challenges initiative uniting scientists, doctors, and patients...

BE.Amycon: A united front against Amyloidosis in Belgium

For World Amyloidosis Day on 26 October, we introduce BE.Amycon, a new VIB Grand Challenges initiative uniting scientists, doctors, and patients across Belgium to address the challenges posed by amyloidosis. We interview Rodrigo Gallardo, BE.Amycon Project Lead, and other core members of the network to find out more.

Twin4Promis unites EU scientists, including VIB's Switch Lab, to tackle protein aggregation, advancing research through cross-border collaboration.

Twin4Promis: EU collaboration on protein aggregation

How VIB's Switch Lab and EU partners tackle protein misfolding through the Twin4Promis project

The scientific collaboration to fight protein aggregation

Twin4Promis is an EU Twinning Project that brings together scientists from across the EU to collaboratively tackle protein aggregation. The Switch Lab at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research is one of the research groups contributing its expertise and resources to the mission. Two years after the project’s launch, we check in to find out how the partnership has progressed and the impact it has had.

On the 10th and 11th of December, the 5th edition of the Next-Generation Synthetic Biology Conference will take place in Ghent, Belgium. Earlier editions of this conference had a strong focus on Genome Engineering, while the upcoming conference will put the spotlight on Synthetic Biology. In this double interview with Prof. Tom Ellis (Imperial College London) and Prof. Sven Eyckerman (VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology), two members of the organizing committee, we deep dive into the world of Synthetic Biology, present research, and future perspectives.

Conversations with experts: engineering the future of Synthetic Biology

On the 10th and 11th of December, the 5th edition of the Next-Generation Synthetic Biology Conference will take place in Ghent, Belgium. Earlier...

Meet the editor behind The Optimist, a magazine featuring inspiring stories, helpful advice, and a touch of humor to navigate the challenges of academia.

The Optimist: a magazine for and by PhD Students

Meet the editor behind The Optimist, a magazine by and for PhD students

Thriving through the 'valley of shit'

Meet Silke Vanderhaeghe, Editor at The Optimist, a magazine written by and for PhD students. She's also wrapping up a PhD in Ludo Van Den Bosch's Laboratory of Neurobiology at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research and reMYND. As she finishes both her studies and her tenure as Editor, we catch up with Silke about her experience.