Joris de Wit

Group Leader at VIB-KU Leuven Center for Neuroscience; Professor at KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences

Leuven, Flemish Region, Belgium

About

Joris de Wit obtained his PhD degree under supervision of Joost Verhaagen at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience in 2004 (VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands). He performed his postdoctoral training with Matthijs Verhage (VU University, 2004-2006) and Anirvan Ghosh (University of California San Diego, USA; 2006-2010). In 2010, Joris was appointed as Assistant Project Scientist at the University of California San Diego. In 2013, Joris started the Laboratory of Synapse Biology at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Neuroscience (Leuven, Belgium) as VIB Group Leader and KU Leuven Associate Professor. In 2019 he was promoted to Professor in the Department of Neurosciences. Joris served as vice-director of the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Neuroscience from 2018-2025 and is scientific co-founder of Augustine Therapeutics. Work in his laboratory aims to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control the formation and maintenance of neuronal connectivity. Goal of his research is to identify potential therapeutic targets for brain disorders in which connectivity is affected, such as autism spectrum disorder or Alzheimer’s disease. Joris is recipient of an ERC Starting Grant and FWO Odysseus grant.

Experience

  • Scientific co-founder at Augustine Therapeutics
    Dec 2019 - Present · 6 yrs 7 mos

  • Professor at KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences at KU Leuven and VIB
    Oct 2019 - Present · 6 yrs 9 mos

  • VIB-KU Leuven Center for Neuroscience (Leuven, Belgium)
    • Group Leader
      Jan 2013 - Present · 13 yrs 6 mos

      http://www.vib.be/en/research/scientists/Pages/Joris-de-Wit-Lab.aspx

    • Vice Director
      Sep 2018 - Oct 2025 · 7 yrs 2 mos

  • Associate Professor at KU Leuven
    Jan 2013 - Sep 2019 · 6 yrs 9 mos

  • University of California, San Diego (6 yrs 2 mos)
    • Assistant Project Scientist
      Dec 2010 - Dec 2012 · 2 yrs 1 mo

    • Postdoctoral Fellow
      Nov 2006 - Nov 2010 · 4 yrs 1 mo