Post by VIB

💡 Five European Research Council (ERC) Proof of Concept Grants for VIB researchers! We are proud to announce that five of our researchers, Renzo Mancuso, Jan Steyaert, Diether Lambrechts, Bart De Strooper, and Stein Aerts, have received prestigious ERC Proof of Concept grants. Their projects span cancer vaccines, Alzheimer’s disease, precision therapy, immune-inflammatory disease, and cell therapy, showcasing the breadth of translational potential emerging from VIB research. Renzo Mancuso (VIB-UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology) is engineering microglia to act as “living drugs” to help clear amyloid-beta plaques in Alzheimer’s disease, inspired by CAR-T therapy. Jan Steyaert (VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology) is exploring targeted approaches to restore immune balance in immune-inflammatory diseases and support the development of a new class of immunotherapies. Diether Lambrechts (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology) is validating tumor antigens from the “dark” genome to support the creation of an off-the-shelf mRNA vaccine for cancer treatment. Bart De Strooper (VIB-KU Leuven Center For Neuroscience) is developing advanced neurotechnology to track early disease-related changes in the brain and improve Alzheimer’s research models. Stein Aerts (VIB.AI) is using his CellTuned platform, which combines AI and single-cell data, to identify disease-driving cell states and therapeutic targets for precision medicine. These projects put our VIB Principia Curiosa principle, “Discovery drives impact,” into action, showing how fundamental research can directly transform patient care and drive societal progress. Congratulations to all recipients! 🎉 Read the full text via the link in comments 👇 Vrije Universiteit Brussel, KU Leuven, Universiteit Antwerpen #VIB #ERC #LifeSciences #TranslationalResearch #Alzheimers #CancerResearch #PrecisionMedicine #Immunology #AIinScience #Innovation #PrincipiaCuriosa