Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie

Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB)
FounderFlemish Government
Established1995
MissionTo conduct frontline biomolecular research in life sciences for the benefit of scientific progress & the benefit of society
ChairAjit Shetty (Chairman of the Board of Directors)
Key people
  • Christine Durinx
  • Jérôme Van Biervliet
Members~1900
SloganScience meets life
Location
Flanders, Belgium
Websitevib.be

VIB is a research institute located in Flanders, Belgium. It was founded by the Flemish government in 1995, and became a full-fledged institute on 1 January 1996. The main objective of VIB is to strengthen the excellence of Flemish life-sciences research and to turn the results into new economic growth.[1]

VIB spends almost 80% of its budget on research activities, while almost 12% is spent on technology transfer activities and stimulating the creation of new businesses. VIB is member of EU-LIFE, an alliance of leading life-sciences research centres in Europe.[2]

As of 2026, the institute is led by Christine Durinx and Jérôme Van Biervliet.[3][4] Ajit Shetty is chairman of the board of directors.[5]

Goals

VIB's mission is to conduct frontline biomolecular research in life sciences for the benefit of scientific progress and the benefit of society. The strategic goals of the VIB are:

  1. Strategic basic research;
  2. Technology transfer policy to transfer the inventions to consumers and patients;
  3. Scientific information for the general public.

Research

VIB scientists work on the normal and pathological processes occurring in a cell, an organ, or an organism (humans, plants, microorganisms). Research areas include cancer biology, neuroscience, plant biology, computational biology, and inflammatory disease. VIB researchers are affiliated to one of the Flemish universities and work in research departments on different Flemish campuses: Ghent University, KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, and Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

As of 2026, VIB consists of nine centers[6]:

Service facilities

VIB has established several core facilities focused on advanced technologies, which make high-throughput technologies available to academic and industrial researchers in Flanders.

  • VIB BioInformatics Training and Service facility
  • VIB Compound Screening service Facility, UGent
  • VIB Genetic Service Facility, University of Antwerp
  • VIB Nucleomics Core, KU Leuven
  • VIB Nanobody VHH Service Facility, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
  • VIB Protein Service Facility, UGent
  • VIB Proteomics Expertise Center, UGent
  • VIB Bio Imaging Core, UGent and KU Leuven
  • VIB Metabolomics Core, UGent and KU Leuven
  • VIB Single Cell Core, UGent and KU Leuven
  • VIB Tech Watch Core, UGent and KU Leuven
  • VIB Spatial Catalyst, UGent

Spin-offs

VIB was involved in the creation of spin-offs from academic research groups, such as for Ablynx, DevGen, CropDesign, ActoGeniX, Pronota (formerly Peakadilly), Agrosavfe, Multiplicom, Orionis[7], Q-biologicals[8], SoluCel, Aphea.Bio[9], Rainbow Crops[10] and Aelin Therapeutics.[11][12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie". www.vlaanderen.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  2. ↑ "Our members". EU-LIFE.
  3. ↑ "Jérôme Van Biervliet new managing director of VIB". flanders.bio. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  4. ↑ Schoofs, Nico (20 April 2022). "Christine Durinx nieuwe codirecteur Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie". de tijd.
  5. ↑ "Ex-Janssen topman Ajit Shetty wordt voorzitter raad van bestuur VIB | Engineeringnet". engineeringnet.be (in Flemish). Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  6. ↑ "Research Centers". VIB. 4 May 2026.
  7. ↑ Adriaen, David (2016-04-13). "Gentse biotechstarter pakt moeilijke ziektes aan". De Tijd. Retrieved 2026-04-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ↑ dd, p (2012-02-04). "Nieuwe spin-offs op de rails". De Standaard. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
  9. ↑ Schoofs, Nico (2024-12-06). "Wie wordt Scale-up van het Jaar 2024?".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ↑ Holmes, Harry (2026-03-19). "Rainbow Crops: The VIB spin‑off using genome editing and AI to reinvent crop breeding". AgTechNavigator.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ↑ Gabrielczyk, Thomas (2017-12-11). "Aelin Therapeutics NV bags €27m in Series A financing".
  12. ↑ "VIB's Start ups". VIB.

Sources

  • J. Comijn, P. Raeymaekers, A. Van Gysel, M. Veugelers, Today = Tomorrow : a tribute to life sciences research and innovation : 10 years of VIB, Snoeck, 2006, ISBN 978-90-5349-630-5
  • Biotechnology industry in Belgium

51°1′4.53″N 3°41′38.64″E / 51.0179250°N 3.6940667°E / 51.0179250; 3.6940667

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