The research results of 2018 are a testimony to the success of this approach. VIB has taken great strides in all its research disciplines. If we are to highlight just a few breakthroughs we can say that VIB researchers have shed a new light on immunotherapy and treatment of cancer, new treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases and novel mechanisms in plant development and growth. We invite you to read more in the chapter on VIB’s research where you will find an overview of some of VIB’s most impactful publications. In 2018, the first projects were launched in the framework of VIB’s Grand Challenges program, which was introduced to increase VIB’s global impact on science and society. This program is designed to support disruptive translational projects, starting from real needs and problems. Based on intensive and continuous interaction between scientists from different expertise fields, we search for practicable solutions with maximum social impact. To keep up the momentum, a new call for projects was launched in June 2018.