VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology

Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers 2025 The Highly Cited Researchers 2025 list identifies and celebrates individuals who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their fields of research. Through rigorous selection criteria and ...

Back-to-back recognition! 💪🏼 A huge shoutout to Arnau @arnauvich.bsky.social and Jeroen Raes for once again making @clarivate.com global #HighlyCited2025 list! 🌍✨ @viblifesciences.bsky.social @vibmicrobes.bsky.social clarivate.com/highly-cited...

✨ Day two, another round of brilliant science at #Microbes25! The second poster session brought more exciting discoveries and thoughtful discussions. Huge kudos to all researchers from our six labs for sharing their research!
@vibtrainconf.bsky.social, @kuleuvenuniversity.bsky.social

How do you find new antibiotics hidden in plain sight? 🔬🧩
At #Microbes25, Hanne Vande Capelle of @vibmicrobes.bsky.social shares how she is engineering and screening sactipeptides — underexplored RiPPs with big antimicrobial potential.
🎥 Watch her pitch! #Microbes25 #Biotech

What if yeast could make the solvents of the future? 🧫✨
At #Microbes25, Quinten Deparis of @vibmicrobes.bsky.social shares how he and his colleagues are reprogramming microbes to build a greener chemistry — blending enzyme engineering, AI, and sustainability.
🎥 Watch his pitch! #SynBio #Biotech

The start of the final plenary session of today #Microbes25 with a selected, beautiful talk by Fatima El Arnouki Belhaji (@masscheleinlab.bsky.social). She focused on charting the biosynthetic landscape and expanding the catalogue of bioactive specialized lipids.

📰 Read more here: lnkd.in/g_qqaJxg

✨ What a wonderful first poster session today at #Microbes25!
Proud to see so many researchers from across our six labs showcasing their innovative and impactful science.

@vibtrainconf.bsky.social, @kuleuvenuniversity.bsky.social, @viblifesciences.bsky.social

🦠 Microbes are transforming our world — from sustainable foods to smart materials! At the 3rd #VIBconf on Emerging Applications of Microbes, we kick off with Colin Hill on bacteriophages & the microbiome. Tiny partnerships, huge impact. #Microbes25 #Microbiology #PhageBiology vibbio.tech/4hOqqBm

Final week to register for the #Microbes25 conference! 🚀 Our OC members are buzzing with excitement!

Today, Prof. @masscheleinlab.bsky.social shares one of her top picks!

⏳ Final deadline to register is 23 Oct 2025 !
🌐 vibbio.tech/Microbes25

@vibtrainconf.bsky.social

We are entering the final week to register for the #Microbes25 conference! 🚀 Our Organizing Committee members are already buzzing with excitement-and we asked them what they’re most looking forward to. A sneak peek at what’s in store!
⏳ Final deadline is 23 Oct 2025-don’t miss it!
🌐 lnkd.in/e2ywpSED

KULeuvenX: Beer: the science of brewing | edX Ever wondered why your beer tastes the way it does? Learn how the ingredients, different biochemical reactions and process parameters in beer brewing influence the taste and aroma of beer.

🍺 Explore the science of malting and brewing, take virtual tours of iconic Belgian breweries and learn from experts with our free online edX course!
📅 New run starts Nov 16 – perfect for students, professionals, or anyone passionate about brewing science.
🔗 Enroll now: www.edx.org/learn/beer/k...

Huge congratulations to our colleague @arnauvich.bsky.social for presenting his research on FODMAP restriction and gut microbiota in IBS patients at United European Gastroenterology Week 2025 in Berlin🇩🇪👏! #UEGWeek @myueg.bsky.social @vibmicrobes.bsky.social

Another great day at #UEGWeek 2025! 🎉Congratulations to our colleague Jorge Vazquez Castellanos for presenting his exciting work on microbial dysbiosis, inflammation, and the gut–brain axis in IBS at the United European Gastroenterology Week in Berlin🇩🇪 @myueg.bsky.social @vibmicrobes.bsky.social

🎉 Congratulations to Joost and Laura on being awarded a @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social PhD fellowship!

✨ We wish them both a successful and inspiring PhD journey!

🔬 @verstrepenlab.bsky.social,
@masscheleinlab.bsky.social, @viblifesciences.bsky.social, @kuleuvenuniversity.bsky.social, UGhent

🌍 Celebrating #InternationalMicroorganismDay with a spotlight on BIOPET 🐾🌱 — part of @viblifesciences.bsky.social Grand Challenges program.
🔬 Great to see the labs of @verstrepenlab.bsky.social and Sibylle Vonesch explore Yarrowia yeast to help create more sustainable pet food!
🔗 lnkd.in/g_qbUXbR

🥳 Congrats to Hans Gerstmans (@masscheleinlab, @viblifesciences, @kuleuvenuniversity) on receiving the EQT Foundation 2025 Women’s Health Grant to develop a bacterial biosensor targeting BRCA1/2 breast cancer!
🔗 eqtgroup.com/news/eqt-foundation-announces-2025-womens-health-grant-recipients

α-Ketoglutaric acid as a promising platform chemical for sustainable bio-based industries The chemical industry is gradually shifting from fossil-derived resources to more sustainable bio-based processes. Natural bio-molecules such as succinic, lactic, and itaconic acid are promising platf...

Proud to share our comprehensive literature review on application potential, chemical synthesis and microbial production of α-ketoglutaric acid @chemsocrev.rsc.org

pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

Probiotic-mediated modulation of gut microbiome in students exposed to academic stress: a randomized controlled trial - npj Biofilms and Microbiomes npj Biofilms and Microbiomes - Probiotic-mediated modulation of gut microbiome in students exposed to academic stress: a randomized controlled trial

Exams = stress. 📚 Our new study shows that a probiotic strain (L. rhamnosus CNCM I-3690) modulated the gut microbiome during academic stress, with ties to lower anxiety.

🔗 Vázquez-Castellanos et al. doi.org/10.1038/s415...

Laboratoriumtechnoloog – Microbiologie/Biotechnologie Laboratoriumtechnoloog Microbiologie

Interested in improving microbes for sustainable food and biofuel production? Or keen on studying evolution and gene regulation using yeast?

🚨 We are seeking two enthusiastic lab technicians to join our dynamic, international team!
More info & to apply, here 👇
www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...

Calling all #Microbes25 enthusiasts, it’s time to show off your finest science. Do not leave it trapped in your lab. Submit your abstract by September 4 & have a chance to win the Nature Microbiology Poster Prize: vibbio.tech/3UQkrkN.

@natmicrobiol.nature.com

#MicrobialBiotech #MicrobialEcology

Want to attend #Microbes25, but travel costs are holding you back? Our travel grants are here to help, but the deadline is today.

🧳Join your colleagues by applying before it’s too late and attend without the financial stress: vibbio.tech/46z4Tco

#MicrobialBiotech #microbes #MicrobialEcology

🎉 Congratulations to Luca Tiraboschi on being awarded an @embo.org scientific exchange grant, joining the group of Sibylle Vonesch to collaborate on developing novel gene editing techniques! (@kuleuvenuniversity.bsky.social, @viblifesciences.bsky.social)

Want to join us at #Microbes25, but worried about travel costs? We’ve got you covered.
Next week is your last chance to apply for a travel grant. Don’t let this opportunity slip away.
🛬Final boarding call for a front row seat, apply here: vibbio.tech/40Rno8b #MicrobialBiotech #microbes #VIBConf

Metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for co-production of ethanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol from sugarcane molasses 3-Methyl-1-butanol (3MB) is a promising renewable solvent, drop-in fuel, and precursor for various industrial products, including flavors, fragrances, and surfactants. Due to the myriad of intertwined...

🚀📄 Our lab is making the most of summer—another paper published! In this one, Sasha and the team managed to valorize a byproduct stream in bioethanol fermentation, laying the groundwork toward sustainable, high-value bioproduction.
Read all about it here👇: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Postdoctoral position in human gut microbiome and bioinformatics - VIB About the Lab Thelab of JeroenRaes(VIB, KU Leuven) is home to a vibrant, dynamic and international group of researchers in the field of gut microbial ecology and its

We're hiring a postdoc!🚨

Study human-associated microbial communities in health & disease.

🔬Requirements:
- PhD in bioinformatics, microbiology, or related field
- Expertise in omics data analysis
- Micro & molecular bio techniques are a plus!

Apply now!🌟
jobs.vib.be/j/119682/pos...

🚨 We're hiring at the Vonesch lab!
Excited about CRISPR technology development, HT genetic screens, and exploring fundamental questions in genetics? Apply here!

🔬 Postdoctoral Researcher
jobs.vib.be/j/117184/pos...
🧪 Research Technician
jobs.vib.be/j/117186/res...

Metabolic engineering and adaptive laboratory evolution of Kluyveromyces Marxianus for lactic acid production - Microbial Cell Factories Background Poly lactic acid (PLA) is one of the most promising bioplastics due to its interesting mechanical and physical properties, low carbon footprint, and biodegradability. PLA is produced from l...

📃🥳 Excited to share our new paper! Jolien and colleagues highlight the power of combining biodiversity with precision metabolic engineering for sustainable microbial bioproduction.
Read all about it 👇: microbialcellfactories.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
#Kluyveromyces #LacticAcid #Bioplastics

Dietary convergence induces individual responses in faecal microbiome composition Background Dietary variation has been identified as a key contributor to microbiome diversification. However, assessing its true impact in a cross-sectional setting is complicated by biological confou...

📄 New collaborative publication:

"Dietary convergence induces individual responses in faecal microbiome composition"
Astrid Vermeulen et al., now in eGastroenterology.
🔗 egastroenterology.bmj.com/content/3/2/...
1/5🧵

🎉 Proud to announce that Doris van Bergeijk, postdoctoral researcher at @raeslab.org ( @kuleuvenuniversity.bsky.social, @viblifesciences.bsky.social), has been awarded a Junior Postdoctoral Fellowship by @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social, to study how the gut microbiome can shape our mental health. 🧠🦠