What’s new in 2025?
Science for Health is an annual, content-driven meeting at the interface of biology and technology, co-organized by the health innovation clusters Biovia and BioWin and co-hosted by the HST group (J&J, UCB, GSK and Pfizer). Each edition focuses on timely topics that matter for Belgium’s innovation trajectory. This year’s theme—Stronger regions, Greater impact—reflects the wider European push toward a more integrated innovation landscape, and the need to connect across communities to translate research into industrial and clinical outcomes in Belgium.
“This year’s theme—Stronger regions, Greater impact—reflects the wider European push toward a more integrated innovation landscape.”
The event is set to welcome 300+ delegates from academia and industry to a full day of keynotes, case studies, and high-level debate. Two program upgrades make 2025 different. First, the morning plenary now includes short “ecosystem initiative” spotlights, giving the stage to multi-partner efforts such as RLT for Belgium: a federal radioligand therapy action plan designed to expand access to next-generation cancer care. Second, the afternoon breakout sessions will still feature rapid-fire case studies on breakthrough health innovations, but they will now also include panel discussions focusing on shared challenges and practical take-home messages.
Also new for 2025: The event is offering 10 free tickets for PhD students who bring a poster on their thesis work. This is part of the organizers’ growing focus on talent and early-career visibility and creating connections across academia and industry. These changes are designed to turn inspiration into engagement and form a stronger network for Belgium’s health innovators in real time.
This year’s focus: ATMP & New Modalities
The 2025 edition runs two parallel tracks for topics where Belgium is currently in the global lead: ATMP & New Modalities. The ATMP track will center on what it takes to move treatments like cell and gene therapies from lab to patients at speed and scale. Case studies and debates will cover recent innovation as well as manufacturing—from digital twins and smart factories to regulatory and logistics realities. The New Modalities track will center on innovations like radiopharmaceuticals, vaccines, PROTACs, antibody-drug conjugates, and digital health solutions—pioneering platforms where Belgium is building some serious momentum.
“The 2025 edition runs two parallel tracks for topics where Belgium is currently in the global lead: ATMP & New Modalities.”
That strength is visible in the ecosystem today. EsoBiotec, a Mont-Saint-Guibert innovator in in-vivo cell therapy, became one of Belgium’s standout stories this year when AstraZeneca agreed to acquire the company in a deal worth up to USD 1 billion. It’s a great example of a breakthrough modality originating in Belgium, which will continue local activities after having captured global attention.
Meanwhile, a slew of excellent startups illustrates the range of “new modalities” being born out of Belgian brains, with platform companies like Railroad Therapeutics (a novel oncology approach based on protein degradation) and ATB Therapeutics (plant-based bioreactors for oncology and autoimmune therapies), showcasing the types of case studies the Science for Health program is built to share.
Anchoring innovation in Belgium
A particularly topical point of discussion at this year’s Science for Health will be: how do we ensure Belgian patients maintain access to cutting-edge clinical research, and that promising companies can grow and thrive in the country? The keynote and panel—“Rooted for impact: Keeping innovation and investment in Belgium”—will tackle these questions head-on, covering questions like how to reverse the trend of clinical trials and manufacturing moving abroad, and how to create smarter incentives for pan-regional investment and collaboration. The aim is to work together to create an environment where Belgian companies are able to stay and scale into global leaders—cycling talent, experience, and capital back into the local ecosystem for future successes.
“The aim is to work together to create an environment where Belgian companies are able to stay and scale into global leaders.”
Recent news shows that it’s possible: the biotech company argenx—the first biotech promoted to the Euro Stoxx 50 since 2002—shows that Belgian-grown champions can earn a place on Europe’s top index, reinforcing the case for anchoring more value creation in Belgium. The policy backdrop may be complex, but the opportunity is clear: if Belgium integrates strengths across regions and remove friction for scale-ups, the country can keep clinical and manufacturing footprints close to home, to the benefit of both patients and the economy.
Join forces with fellow innovators in Brussels
If you want a one-day deep dive into where biology meets technology in Belgium—and the partners turning ideas into impact—join Science for Health on 4 November at SQUARE Brussels. Come for the keynotes and case studies—stay for the ecosystem spotlights, the discussion panels, and the debate on how to keep innovation and investment rooted in Belgium.
Register now and be part of the Belgian momentum!
