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Amy LeBlanc

Science for Health 2025: How to anchor innovation in Belgium?

Belgium puts a lot of resources into research and innovation, supporting the creation of spinouts and startups with brilliant potential health solutions. But as they grow, most of those companies eventually hit a point where local support isn’t enough—they have to look beyond Europe for their manufacturing, clinical trials, and funding needs. How can Belgium close this gap so companies can stay and thrive in Europe?

Trio of scientists win Nobel Prize for immune system regulation

Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 for their groundbreaking discoveries in peripheral immune tolerance—how the immune system uses regulatory T cells to prevent other immune cells from attacking our own body. Their work laid the foundation for a new field of research and spurred the development of treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Science for Health 2025: Stronger Regions, Greater Impact

Belgium’s flagship “biology meets technology” conference returns to Brussels this fall with a clear message: collaboration is key to keeping Europe at the front of health innovation. On 4 November 2025, Science for Health will explore how Belgium’s regional strengths and synergies can be combined to accelerate ATMP and new modalities—such as radioligand therapies and digital health solutions—to reinforce the country's global position in biotech and healthtech.

ATMPs & Nuclear Medicine: Wallonia’s strengths on display with BioWin on Tour

Buses full of innovators, lab doors wide open and conversations to spark collaboration—that was the vibe for BioWin on Tour on 24 September 2025, co-organized with AWEX. It was a whirlwind visit, with fifty international delegates from nine countries visiting two of Wallonia’s flagship science hubs—LégiaPark and BioPark Charleroi—discovering the region’s twin strengths of ATMPs and nuclear medicine.

The benefits of One Health in Flanders

Biovia is Europe’s first industry-led One Health innovation cluster—uniting medical biotech, medtech, digital health, agtech and industrial biotech to advance human and planetary health. Katrien Lorré explains how this unified approach benefits companies by unlocking opportunities and fostering a better environment for health innovation.

From startup survivor to sector leader: MRM Health CEO’s advice for fellow entrepreneurs at BioWin Days

In the space of just a few years, MRM Health has transformed from a challenger in the emerging microbiome therapeutics field to a global forerunner. CEO Sam Possemiers has steered the Belgian company through the rollercoaster of scientific uncertainty and investor skepticism to reach what he calls the “slope of enlightenment.” Now, with late-stage clinical trials ahead and a new important funding round within reach, Possemiers is sharing his lessons-learned with other biotech CEOs.

Belgian biotech retains its top position despite the turbulent times

Belgium’s biotech sector defied global headwinds in 2024, delivering growth and key milestones. The latest analysis compiled by KBC Securities and PMV for Biovia confirms Belgium’s leadership in European health innovation. But staying on top will demand continued resilience and strategic focus.

Biovia: the new health innovation cluster for human and planetary health

A fresh chapter in Flemish healthtech and life sciences has begun with the launch of Biovia: the health innovation cluster resulting from the merger of flanders.bio and MEDVIA. Unveiled at Knowledge for Growth, the flagship annual conference of the Flemish life sciences sector, this new industry-driven organization brings more than 450 members together in one unified ecosystem – cultivating connections and forging a path to a healthier future for people and planet.

The intertwined nature of human and animal health

The world is more interconnected than ever. But our global network goes beyond humans: the health of all people on Earth is intimately dependent on the wellbeing of our ecosystems – our animals, plants, microbes, and the atmosphere that sustains us all. In this article, Belgian veterinary scientist Jan Spaas shares his thoughts on the ‘One Health’ approach from the WHO, and the bi-directional link between human and animal health.

AstriVax Therapeutics shoots for the stars with impactful immunotherapies 

In line with its stellar name, AstriVax Therapeutics is a rising star in Belgian biotech. The company launched in 2022 with €30 million – the largest seed round ever raised by a KU Leuven spin-out – and rapidly became a clinical-stage company, using its plug-and-play platform to fast-track development of vaccines and immunotherapies.

Zapping weeds: RootWave’s herbicide-free weed control solution 

RootWave’s technology kills weeds using electricity, offering farmers an eco-friendly alternative to chemical herbicides. The eWeeding solution supports our transition towards a more sustainable agricultural industry, protecting the health of both people and the planet.

Muna Therapeutics: hopeful solutions for memory loss

Muna Therapeutics is developing transformative therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. These drugs aim to preserve cognition and enhance the brain’s resilience in diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, providing much-needed hope for millions of patients and their loved ones.

One event, uniting Belgium’s regions

BioWin and MEDVIA are two Belgian organizations which support and promote health innovation in Wallonia and Flanders. This year, these two clusters have come together to jointly organize the event Science for health on the topic of ‘biology meets technology’. In this dual interview, Ann Van Gysel (MEDVIA) and Sylvie Ponchaut (BioWin) discuss the differences between their regions and how they are working to improve cross-border collaboration in Belgium.

Belgium needs boldness for healthcare innovation

This year, Science for health will explore the inspiring innovations at the interface of biology and technology. The event will bring together academics, industry leaders, and policymakers to explore the newest treatment platforms and factories of the future. BioVox spoke to Werner Verbiest, member of the event’s Scientific Committee, about the topic and why collaboration is so key right now.

Jan Rabaey on the convergence of biology and technology

Belgian Prof. Jan Rabaey has spent the past 35 years conducting pioneering tech research at the University of California at Berkeley. His groundbreaking electronics work has been used in a range of modern devices, including the iPad, brain-computer interfaces, and wireless sensor nodes used for the Internet of Things. The ongoing theme of his work has been miniaturization and connection, which he is now using to link technology and people like never before.