# Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie

VIB is a research institute located in Flanders, Belgium. It was founded by the Flemish government in 1995, and became a full-fledged institute on 1 January 1996. The main objective of VIB is to strengthen the excellence of Flemish life sciences research and to turn the results into new economic growth. VIB spends almost 80% of its budget on research activities, while almost 12% is spent on technology transfer activities and stimulating the creation of new businesses, in addition VIB spends approximately 2% on socio-economic activities. VIB is member of EU-LIFE, an alliance of leading life sciences research centres in Europe.
The institute is led by Christine Durinx and Jérôme Van Biervliet. Ajit Shetty is chairman of the board of directors.

## Goals

VIB's mission is to conduct frontline biomolecular research in life sciences for the benefit of scientific progress and the benefit of society. The strategic goals of the VIB are:
* Strategic basic research
* Technology transfer policy to transfer the inventions to consumers and patients
* Scientific information for the general public

## Research Centers

The VIB scientist works on the normal and abnormal or pathological processes occurring in a cell, an organ and an organism (humans, plants, micro organisms). Instead of relocating scientists to a new campus, the VIB researchers work in research departments on six Flemish campuses: Ghent University, KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, IMEC and Hasselt University.
* Ghent University:
** VIB Inflammation Research Center, UGent (Bart Lambrecht)
** VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, UGent (Dirk Inzé)
** VIB Medical Biotechnology Center, UGent (Nico Callewaert)
** Institute of Plant Biotechnology Outreach (IPBO), UGent (Marc Van Montagu)
* KU Leuven:
** VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven (Scientific directors: Diether Lambrechts and Chris Marine)
** VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research, KU Leuven (Scientific directors: Patrik Verstreken and Joris de Wit)
** VIB Center for Microbiology, KU Leuven (Scientific director: Kevin Verstrepen)
* IMEC Campus
** NERF, a joint research initiative between IMEC, VIB and KU Leuven
* University of Antwerp:
** VIB Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp (Rosa Rademakers)
** VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, University of Antwerp
* Vrije Universiteit Brussel:
** VIB Structural Biology Research Center, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Jan Steyaert)
** VIB Laboratory Myeloid Cell Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Jo Van Ginderachter)
** VIB Nanobody Service Facility, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
* Hasselt University Campus

## Service facilities

VIB has established several core facilities focused on advanced technologies, which make high through-flow technologies available to academic and industrial researchers in Flanders.
* VIB BioInformatics Training and Service facility
* VIB Compound Screening service Facility, UGent
* VIB Genetic Service Facility, University of Antwerp
* VIB Nucleomics Core, KU Leuven
* VIB Nanobody Service Facility, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
* VIB Protein Service Facility, UGent
* VIB Proteomics Expertise Center, UGent
* VIB Bio Imaging Core, UGent and KU Leuven
* VIB Metabolomics Core, UGent

## Spin-offs

VIB was involved in the creation of spin-offs from academic research groups, such as for Ablynx, DevGen, CropDesign, ActoGeniX, Pronota (formerly Peakadilly), Agrosavfe, Multiplicom, Q-biologicals, SoluCel, Aphea.Bio and Aelin Therapeutics.