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VIB Lessons from plants

VIB Lessons from Plants

Climate change causes immense pressure on our crops. These plants need to adapt to increased temperatures, drought, and pathogens. At the same time, the population is growing, and the need for food is ever-increasing. How can we provide a stable food supply in these challenging conditions? During May and June, VIB shines a spotlight on our crop research that tries to tackle these issues. Discover the science and meet the people that work on a sustainable future for all. 

Latest News

News Item Swiss TV

Crop research in the media

On July 5th 2023, the EU suggested a new legislation on the use of NGTs in agriculture. The national Swiss TV (RTS) came to the center for Plant Systems Biology at VIB-UGent, to learn more about CRISPR-Cas and the applications

Recent blog posts on VIB Lessons from Plants

If you want to read all our articles, head over to the VIB blog!

IPBO group photo

Volunteering with IPBO in Kenya

Looking for a way to make a positive impact on sustainable agriculture? Meet IPBO, or the UGent-VIB International Plant Biotechnology Outreach organization. IPBO is a VIB team with a mission to promote advances in agriculture and improve collaboration between African and Belgian organizations.

Fact Series - CRISPR-Cas

An update on CRISPR-Cas Genome editing in plants

In 2019, our Facts series on genome editing was published. The revolutionary technology of CRISPR-Cas took biotechnology by storm, and questions from the public started to come in. Thanks to our publication, many of these questions were answered. However, science doesn’t stand still. New techniques and applications emerge every year, with new economical and societal impacts. Politicians around the world are adapting and updating their legislations in function of these scientific evolutions. In the summer of 2023, the European commission will propose a new regulatory framework on genome editing. At VIB we see this as the perfect opportunity to review our Facts series from 2019 and update you on how genome editing has evolved over the past 4 years, and what a changing legislation might mean for you. 

Blog De kracht van sojabonen ontketenen

Harnessing the power of soybeans

Soybeans are not only a vital source of plant-derived protein for food and feed but they also offer numerous benefits beyond their nutritional value. Soy cultivation contributes to soil improvement and reduces nitrogen pollution via nitrogen fixation by associated bacteria, which makes it a sustainable crop, especially in the face of a changing climate and shifting dietary patterns. However, growing soybeans in Belgium is challenging due to the lack of adaptation to local soil and environmental conditions. Perhaps, though, bacteria can come to the rescue …

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From Mendel to Minecraft: the 200-year evolution of genetics

In 1822, Gregor Mendel - the founding father of genetics – was born. In 1866, he published “Experiments on plant hybrids”, a 40-pager in which he describes the transmission of characteristics in pea to their progeny. Little did he know that it would become the foundation of modern genetics. In the early 1900s, after his death in 1884, his findings were rediscovered and Mendel’s Laws of Inheritance grew into the basis of modern biology. To celebrate his 200th birthday we look back and ahead together with VIB scientists Ive De Smet, Joren De Ryck, and Matilde Sanches from the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology, and Seppe De Winter from the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research.

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From fundamental to applied science and later policy-making: sustainability is the recurring theme in alumna Stien Beirinckx's career

Early 2022, VIB-UGent alumna Stien Beirinckx started working on a European project as part of the LIFE program, which aims for a climate-neutral Europa by 2050. While she focused on improved crop production through plant-microbe interactions during her PhD, she now uses science to advance policy regarding farming management for climate-resilient agriculture. The shift from academic research to policy seems abrupt, but is it?

Get up to speed: some stories from the past

Read up on some of our stories from the past years. During our spotlight period in May and June, we will give some updates on these topics and share with you the current affairs.

front page of the CRISPR-Cas facts series booklet

Facts series: Genome editing in plants

In 2019 VIB decided to inform interested readers on genome editing and CRISPR-Cas. In this edition of our Facts series, we highlighted the technique, how it works, and how it was being used in research. We paid extra attention to the societal, economical, and political impact by shining a light on the legislation in Europe and the rest of the world and by listing the products that were already on the market. Now, 4 years later, it is time for an update. Did the legislation change? Are there new products on the market? These questions will be answered during our spotlight campaign. In the meantime, refresh your memory with the 2019 Facts booklet.

Origin of Impact Harnessing the microbiome of soil

Origin of impact: harnessing the microbiome of the soil

Microbes may not always have the best reputation. After reading our origins of impact story on the microbiome in the soil, we are sure you will look at microbes completely differently. Discover how the microbiome can help plants adapt to changing climate, and rediscover how a big citizen science project is helping to grow soy in Flanders. In the upcoming weeks, we will give an update on the soy project and share with you the latest developments from this project.

Research centers involved

VIB consists of nine research centers located all over Flanders. Each research center has its own field of interest. Two centers are closely involved in the research happening on plant research in the light of climate change.

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VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology

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VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology

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TRIC23: Translational Research in Crops conference

On the 22nd and 23rd of June, VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology organizes the TRIC conference. This conference (Translational Research in Crops) aims at reviewing how crops cope with stress, how to improve crops through plant architecture, how to produce healthier crops, and the beneficial interactions of the soil microbiome.