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Amy LeBlanc

New immune system gene discovered in a Flemish boy

Researchers studying a rare disease have identified a new gene responsible for human immune system regulation. An international collaboration combined information from both mouse models and a single human patient in an effort to find the underlying genetic cause of hemophagocytic syndrome. This discovery could potentially inspire a treatment for the deadly disease and provides new insights into the immune system.

Combining disciplines for a simple sampling solution

Novosanis have been able to achieve great success with their clever yet simple urine sampling solution Colli-Pee®, largely thanks to their multidisciplinary approach to product development. We spoke with Novosanis CEO Vanessa Vankerckhoven about the company’s interesting origin story.

Pulsify Medical to develop a wearable heart monitor patch

Pulsify Medical, a joint imec and KU Leuven spin-off, has closed a seed funding round of €2.6 million. The investment, led by imec.xpand and KU Leuven, will be used to develop a wearable ultrasound patch to non-invasively monitor organs like the heart.

The 2019 Nobel Prize in Medicine: How do cells adapt to changing oxygen levels?

The 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to William G. Kaelin Jr, Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe and Gregg L. Semenza. Their discoveries have paved the way for promising new strategies to fight anemia, cancer and many other diseases. We’re breaking down the research that led to the prize and why this work was so vital for modern medicine.

Mining the microbiome for sustainable agriculture solutions

In this month’s article we take a look at Aphea.Bio, a V-Bio Ventures portfolio company. This startup is developing microbiome products for improved crop growth and pest protection, using state-of-the art technology.

HIV breakthrough at UZ Gent leads to new hope for a cure

When patients take HIV medication, a small amount of the virus nonetheless stays hidden in the body, preventing a cure. This hiding place has finally been uncovered in a groundbreaking study led by UZ Gent researchers. With this ‘viral reservoir’ identified, researchers may finally be able to develop a cure for this devastating disease.

Three business strategy tips to help your company grow

Fresh insights into the future of cell therapy

The first edition of Science for health was held in the heart of Brussels on 11th September 2019 with a focus on cell therapy. The event attracted over 300 researchers, clinicians and industry professionals active in the the local or international cell therapy ecosystem. Top-speakers provided interesting insights into the current state of cell therapy in Belgium, as well as requirements for further progress. Collaboration, especially outside of the traditional partnerships, is key.

Galapagos-Gilead billion-dollar deal: beyond the numbers

Last month, Galapagos sealed a 5-billion-dollar deal with Gilead. Now that the dust has started to settle, we’re taking a closer look at the agreement. Why is this deal so unique in the biotech world? What will the ripple effects be in the European ecosystem? BioVox spoke with Lenny Van Steenhuyse, Healthcare Equity Analyst at KBC Securities, for a deeper insight.

Why events are important for creating connections in the life sciences

Collaboration is vital for science. Without cross-pollination of ideas and talent, progress would be excruciatingly slow in both industry and academia. Networking opportunities, like the annual Knowledge for Growth event and Science for health, stimulate research collaboration by connecting people. So, what’s the role of a cluster organization in all this? BioVox spoke with flanders.bio representatives Pascale Engelen and Katrien Lorré to find out.

Meet the men who unraveled the mystery of protein folding

Franz-Ulrich Hartl and Arthur Horwich have been named the winners of the 2019 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research. The award will be granted for their revolutionary insights into chaperone-mediated protein folding, a key process for biological function. The winners will share their insights during the annual award ceremony, which will be celebrated both at the Janssen Beerse Campus in Belgium on September 27 and at the New York Academy of Sciences in the US on October 3, providing attendees with a unique opportunity to meet two of the world’s leading scientists.

Living on the edge: the challenge of doing things differently in cell therapy

Belgian company Celyad is a trailblazer in oncology: its T cell therapies based on NK receptors are cutting edge even for CAR-T. At the Science for health event in September the visionary Christian Homsy, former Celyad CEO, will be presenting one of the keynote talks. In this BioVox interview, we asked him to share his thoughts on the challenges faced by a company that’s pushing boundaries in the oncology space.

Solving food waste one StixFresh sticker at a time

Food waste is a major global issue exacerbated by premature fruit spoilage. A US company, StixFresh, is working together with VIB-KU Leuven Prof Patrick Van Dijck to develop a solution to the problem. The company has created stickers coated in a plant-based antimicrobial formula that protects fruit from fungal infections, extending their shelf life by several weeks.

WELBIO joins ranks with celebrities after a new bacterium is named after the institute

WELBIO has received a truly unique form of acknowledgement: a newly discovered bacterium has been named after the research institute. The human gut microbe was discovered during a project led by Prof. Patrice Cani (WELBIO-UCLouvain), who proposed the name Dysosmobacter welbionis.

Edible antibodies to prevent and treat gut diseases

Belgian researchers have developed edible antibodies that can prevent gut bacterial infections. Normally antibodies need to be injected, but the antibodies developed by Dr. Vikram Virdi in the group of Dr. Nico Callewaert can instead be mixed with food and eaten. These antibodies are produced using yeast and have so far been shown to protect piglets from diarrhea-causing enterotoxigenic E. coli, which is a serious issue in pig farming. The edible antibody concept also has enormous potential for applications in human medicine, such as in preventing diarrheal disease outbreaks following natural disasters.