Vlaams Institute Voor Biotechnologie

[EduCativ]

VIB is a life sciences research institute in Flanders, Belgium. With more than 1470 scientists from over 60 countries, we perform basic research into life's molecular foundations. VIB is an excellence-based entrepreneurial institute that translates necessary scientific results into pharmaceutical, agricultural and industrial applications. VIB works in close partnership with five universities − UGent, KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Hasselt University and is funded by the Flemish government. VIB develops and disseminates a wide range of science-based information about all aspects of biotechnology.
Created in Belgium in 1995 at the Flemish government's initiative, VIB (Vlaams Instituut Voor Biotechnologie) is a unique example of a non-profit support structure for a particular scientific domain working towards both Excellence in research and transformation of the results of such research into economic growth. Our mission is to conduct frontline biomolecular research in life sciences to benefit from scientific progress and the benefit of society.
VIB, which arose out of the government's desire to support the life sciences sector in the Flemish region, receives extensive government funding: yearly 38.1 m euro for 2007-2011, marking a 20% increase over the preceding five-year period.
However, this financial support comes with obligations: every five years, the government and the VIB sign a contract concerning precise aims to ensure a return on investment for the Flemish authorities.
Entering into new scientific challenges and aiming for breakthroughs require adapted technologies and a research strategy. VIB, therefore, pays extra attention to developing and attracting advanced technologies. Their adoption must not only be integrated into VIB's research laboratories; they must also be advantageous to the whole of Flanders. This is why VIB concentrates on diffusing the institutional knowledge and advance technology in the entire Flemish academic and industrial community.
VIB increasingly puts efforts into attracting the world's leading scientists. Calls for international projects are made among young scientists seeking to create independent research groups within VIB. In 2008, the institute received 77 projects from researchers in 21 countries.
The international nature of research teams is one of the significant characteristics of the research institute. At the end of 2009, 45% of post-doctoral students and 42% of doctoral students hailed from 56 different countries.
In direct relation with our research, VIB's other central area of activity is the commercial exploitation of this research results by submitting patents, collaboration with industry, and the creation of innovative companies. A dedicated team is concerned exclusively with technology transfer. Income from these activities exceeds 10% of the VIB budget, and all profits are immediately plowed back into research.
Apart from starting up new companies, VIB offers fully licensed laboratory and office facilities for life sciences companies in its bio-incubators in Leuven and Ghent. However, these incubators are not designed exclusively for use by companies emanating from the VIB but are open to all young companies active in biotech R&D, including foreign companies.
Being a non-profit academic research institute working at the frontiers of science, VIB is exceptionally well-positioned to provide unbiased information to different target groups – politicians, journalists, teachers, young people, and the interested citizens.
A third focus is to convince young people to take up a career in science and biotechnology. VIB has a dedicated communication team that works in close contact with VIB's scientists.
"Excellence in science requires a multidisciplinary, multicultural, and collaborative research environment whereby open discussion and knowledge sharing are encouraged and wherein the professional development of all co-workers is considered as crucial.
On January 1, 1996, VIB became a fully-fledged institute, of which the legal foundations had already been laid in 1995. When it was set up, the Flemish government wrote down VIB's core activities in a management agreement. The main objective was to strengthen the Excellence of Flemish life sciences research on the one hand and turn the results into new economic growth.

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