Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie

VIB is a research institute located in Flanders, Belgium. VIB 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. 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.

The institute is led by Jo Bury and Johan Cardoen. Hugo Van Heuverswyn is Chairman of the Board of Directors.

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

Departments

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 Department of 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 Vesalius Research Center, KU Leuven (Diether Lambrechts)
  • VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven (Bart De Strooper & Patrik Verstreken)
  • VIB Department of Molecular Microbiology, KU Leuven (Johan Thevelein)
  • VIB Laboratory of Systems Biology, KU Leuven (Kevin Verstrepen)
  • VIB Laboratory for Bioinformatics and (eco)systems Biology, KU Leuven (Jeroen Raes)
  • VIB Translational Immunology Laboratory, KU Leuven (Adrian Liston)
  • VIB Switch Laboratory, KU Leuven (Frederic Rousseau & Joost Schymkowitz)
  • VIB Nucleomics Core, KU Leuven
• IMEC Campus
  • NERF, a joint research initiative between IMEC, VIB and KU Leuven
• University of Antwerp:
  • VIB Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp (Christine Van Broeckhoven)
• 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
  • VIB Laboratory of Translational Immunomodulation, Hasselt University (Markus Kleinewietfeld)

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, KU Leuven

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 and SoluCel.

See also

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

External links

• Official website
• History

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