Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie

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, in addition VIB spends approximately 2% on socio-economic activities. VIB is member of EU-LIFE, an alliance of leading life sciences research centres in Europe.[2]

Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB)
Founder(s)Flemish 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 Director)
Key people
  • Christine Durinx
  • Jérôme Van Biervliet
Members~1900
SloganScience meets life
Location
Flanders, Belgium
Websitevib.be

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 Centers

The VIB scientist works on the normal and abnormal or pathological processes occurring in a cell, an organ and an organism (humans, plants, micro organisms). Instead of relocating scientists to a new campus, the VIB researchers work in research departments on six Flemish campuses: Ghent University, KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, IMEC and Hasselt University.

  • Ghent University:
    • VIB Inflammation Research Center, UGent (Bart Lambrecht)
    • VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, UGent (Dirk Inzé)
    • VIB Medical Biotechnology Center, UGent (Nico Callewaert)
    • Institute of Plant Biotechnology Outreach (IPBO), UGent (Marc Van Montagu)
  • KU Leuven:
    • VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven (Scientific directors: Diether Lambrechts and Chris Marine)
    • VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research, KU Leuven (Scientific directors: Patrik Verstreken and Joris de Wit)
    • VIB Center for Microbiology, KU Leuven (Scientific director: Kevin Verstrepen)
  • IMEC Campus
    • NERF, a joint research initiative between IMEC, VIB and KU Leuven
  • University of Antwerp:
    • VIB Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp (Rosa Rademakers)
    • VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, University of Antwerp
  • Vrije Universiteit Brussel:
    • VIB Structural Biology Research Center, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Jan Steyaert)
    • VIB Laboratory Myeloid Cell Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Jo Van Ginderachter)
    • VIB Nanobody Service Facility, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
  • Hasselt University Campus

Service facilities

VIB has established several core facilities focused on advanced technologies, which make high through-flow 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 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

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, Q-biologicals, SoluCel, Aphea.Bio and Aelin Therapeutics.[6]

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. "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

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