Science begins with asking questions. How do diseases take hold? Why do certain cells, proteins, and molecules behave the way they do? And—most importantly—can we use that knowledge to improve lives? At VIB, these questions steer our dual purpose: doing excellent life science research and turning this into real-world applications. While our researchers focus on the former, the latter is where our dedicated VIB Innovation & Business (I&B) team steps in. Through partnerships, intellectual property protection, and the creation of spin-offs, they focus on transforming life-changing scientific discoveries into biotech innovations that promote better health and sustainable agriculture.
Today, we’ll share the story of Charcot-Leyden Crystals (CLCs) at the heart of severe respiratory diseases and how the I&B team contributed to a partnership between VIB and biotech company argenx that is charting new territory in respiratory healthcare.