Augustine Therapeutics is a VIB and KU Leuven spin-off developing innovative therapies for peripheral and central nervous system disorders. The company initially focused on treating Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and recently added a major indication to their lead program after finding strong evidence that their drug candidate can also reverse nerve damage caused by chemotherapy. Augustine Therapeutics aims to initiate clinical trials by 2024.
Current cleaning and disinfection practices in food industries are insufficient to destroy unwanted bacteria lurking on surfaces, according to recent Belgian research. Cooperation between diverse types of bacteria makes them stronger and more resilient, causing huge damage in terms of food spoilage, recalls, and health issues. Understanding the development of these microbial communities and their underlying cooperation is vital for assuring food safety, and may lead to developing better forms of biocontrol.
Dr. Katherine High is one of gene therapy’s pioneers, who has contributed to a long list of firsts in the field. As President of Spark Therapeutics, Dr. High led the team that developed Luxturna – the first FDA-approved gene therapy in the world and the first to be approved in both the US and Europe. Prior to that, her trailblazing clinical work with adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors helped paved the way for many subsequent gene therapies. Today, Dr. High continues her cutting-edge work as President of Therapeutics at gene therapy company AskBio, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bayer AG. We spoke with Dr. High about the evolution of this fascinating field, which has the potential to provide transformational therapies for so many people with otherwise untreatable genetic diseases.
Much has been said about the huge economic potential of algae, but this ‘green gold’ has yet to meet expectations. The European project IDEA – led by Belgian research center VITO – is examining the economic benefits of microalgae and developing strategies to overcome remaining challenges. Interim results show that algae can very well be grown in the climate of Northwestern Europe and can be used to efficiently produce products such as healthy biscuits, animal feed and cosmetic applications.
Data science is booming, including in the healthcare sector. However, in order to extract insights and benefits from our health data, we first have to build a solid system for structural data processing and management. To frame the needs for healthcare data reuse in Belgium, Inovigate has united stakeholders and summarized their recommendations in two white papers.
The famous composer Ludwig Von Beethoven lost his hearing at a young age. To keep composing, he actively looked for a way to compensate for his hearing loss. He managed to find a solution by making clever use of the bone conduction of sound. To this day, bone-anchored hearing aids help people stay in tune with the auditory world around them. Researchers at pioneering company Cochlear Limited in Belgium are actively working on the future of this technology.
A veteran of the life sciences industry, Dr. Ajit Shetty continues to have a huge impact on the ecosystem both in Belgium and abroad. Several years after his retirement from top positions in Janssen Pharmaceutica & Johnson and Johnson (as Chair and previously as Managing Director), Shetty is still actively involved in the industry. Awarded the title of Baron by King Albert II of Belgium in 2008 for his services to the sector, and the recipient of Trends ‘Manager of the Year 2004’ and the Life-Time Achievement Award by India (his country of birth), Shetty is a living legend who is still busy shaping the world’s future.
Augustine Therapeutics is a VIB and KU Leuven spin-off developing innovative therapies for peripheral and central nervous system disorders. The company initially focused on treating Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and recently added a major indication to their lead program after finding strong evidence that their drug candidate can also reverse nerve damage caused by chemotherapy. Augustine Therapeutics aims to initiate clinical trials by 2024.
Current cleaning and disinfection practices in food industries are insufficient to destroy unwanted bacteria lurking on surfaces, according to recent Belgian research. Cooperation between diverse types of bacteria makes them stronger and more resilient, causing huge damage in terms of food spoilage, recalls, and health issues. Understanding the development of these microbial communities and their underlying cooperation is vital for assuring food safety, and may lead to developing better forms of biocontrol.
Dr. Katherine High is one of gene therapy’s pioneers, who has contributed to a long list of firsts in the field. As President of Spark Therapeutics, Dr. High led the team that developed Luxturna – the first FDA-approved gene therapy in the world and the first to be approved in both the US and Europe. Prior to that, her trailblazing clinical work with adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors helped paved the way for many subsequent gene therapies. Today, Dr. High continues her cutting-edge work as President of Therapeutics at gene therapy company AskBio, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bayer AG. We spoke with Dr. High about the evolution of this fascinating field, which has the potential to provide transformational therapies for so many people with otherwise untreatable genetic diseases.
Much has been said about the huge economic potential of algae, but this ‘green gold’ has yet to meet expectations. The European project IDEA – led by Belgian research center VITO – is examining the economic benefits of microalgae and developing strategies to overcome remaining challenges. Interim results show that algae can very well be grown in the climate of Northwestern Europe and can be used to efficiently produce products such as healthy biscuits, animal feed and cosmetic applications.
Data science is booming, including in the healthcare sector. However, in order to extract insights and benefits from our health data, we first have to build a solid system for structural data processing and management. To frame the needs for healthcare data reuse in Belgium, Inovigate has united stakeholders and summarized their recommendations in two white papers.
The famous composer Ludwig Von Beethoven lost his hearing at a young age. To keep composing, he actively looked for a way to compensate for his hearing loss. He managed to find a solution by making clever use of the bone conduction of sound. To this day, bone-anchored hearing aids help people stay in tune with the auditory world around them. Researchers at pioneering company Cochlear Limited in Belgium are actively working on the future of this technology.
A veteran of the life sciences industry, Dr. Ajit Shetty continues to have a huge impact on the ecosystem both in Belgium and abroad. Several years after his retirement from top positions in Janssen Pharmaceutica & Johnson and Johnson (as Chair and previously as Managing Director), Shetty is still actively involved in the industry. Awarded the title of Baron by King Albert II of Belgium in 2008 for his services to the sector, and the recipient of Trends ‘Manager of the Year 2004’ and the Life-Time Achievement Award by India (his country of birth), Shetty is a living legend who is still busy shaping the world’s future.