Called to Science

In five brand-new episodes, you'll meet researchers whose paths into science are anything but straightforward. Think a lifelong promise shaped by personal loss, a journey from first-generation student to grant expert, what it takes to be an expert, and careers that cross continents, disciplines, and even worlds, from the lab bench to European policy.

Along the way, you will hear about doubt, teamwork, rare disease research, open lab doors, career leaps, science outreach, and a few very human reminders that even brilliant people like you are often just figuring it out as they go.

Let us know your Dare to Ask questions in the comments or via this form.

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Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters.

For Laurent Galibert, drug discovery was never just a career choice. It was a promise.

In this episode, Laurent shares how a personal loss shaped his path in science, why doubt is part of making good decisions, and how teamwork keeps drug discovery moving forward, even when success is far from certain.

At VIB Discovery Sciences, Laurent helps turn early scientific ideas into opportunities that could one day change patients’ lives. He speaks passionately about the mix of expertise, collaboration, and ambition that allows people from different backgrounds to build something meaningful together.

Curious about a place where top science, purpose, and teamwork come together? Discover opportunities at VIB via jobs.vib.be. #researchjobs #lifesciences #drugdiscovery

Let us know your Dare to Ask questions in the comments or via this form.

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Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters.

What does it take to go from first-generation everything to grant guru?

In this episode, Ayşe Candayan shares her path from Turkey to Antwerp and reflects on the people and places that helped shape her into the scientist she is today. From strong female role models to the life-changing opportunity of the Darüşşafaka Schools, this is a story about talent, ambition, and what can happen when someone gets the chance to grow.

Ayşe is now a postdoctoral researcher at the VIB-UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology, where she studies the genetics of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. She explains why rare disease research matters far more than people often realize, why collaboration is essential, and why clear storytelling might just be one of the most underrated scientific skills out there. Yes, we also get into her grant-writing secrets!

Looking for a place where mentorship, collaboration, and scientific curiosity can take you far? Explore opportunities at VIB via jobs.vib.be. #researchjobs #postdocjobs #lifesciences #raredisease

Let us know your Dare to Ask questions in the comments or via this form.

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Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters.

What do baseball, plant genome editing, and failure have in common? More than you might think.

In this episode, Thomas Jacobs talks about growing up with a love for plants and baseball, following his curiosity from the US to Belgium, and building a career in plant genome editing at the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology. His approach to science is refreshingly straightforward: expect things to fail, focus on the question in front of you, and take it one pitch at a time.

Thomas also shares what surprised him about moving to VIB, from the scale of the scientific support to a culture where collaboration is real, lab doors are open, and sharing is just part of the job. He reflects on team culture, sustainable lab practices, fast-moving technologies like nanopore sequencing and AI, and why fundamental discovery still matters, even when you do not yet know where it will lead.

Looking for a place where curiosity, teamwork, and ambitious science can grow side by side? Explore opportunities at VIB via jobs.vib.be. #researchjobs #plantscience #genomeediting #lifesciences

Let us know your Dare to Ask questions in the comments or via this form.

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Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters.

From mosaics to moyamoya disease, and from the lab bench to the European Commission.

In this episode, Lia Martina shares her journey from a small Italian town to the world of biology and proteomics.

Today, Lia works as a policy officer at the European Commission on the European Health Data Space, helping turn big ideas into something that works for people across Europe. One of her clearest success metrics is that one day, her mom should be able to travel with a suitcase full of food, not medical paperwork.

She explains why scientists are often better prepared for policy than they think, how her PhD helped her grow, and why sometimes the bravest career move is simply trusting your gut.

Looking for a place where science can open more doors than you expected, inside and outside the lab? Explore opportunities at VIB via jobs.vib.be. #researchjobs #sciencecareers #policy #lifesciences #proteomics

Let us know your Dare to Ask questions in the comments or via this form.

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Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters.

How do you become the person everyone goes to when things get tricky in the lab?

In this episode, Inge Van Molle shares how she became a structural biologist, a lab expert, and, by the sound of it, a bit of a responsibility magnet. From building up experience in Belgium and Cambridge to becoming the person colleagues turn to for structural and biophysical questions, her story is about saying yes, learning by doing, and finding your place by helping others move their science forward.

Inge also takes us into the world of structural biology, where solving one piece of the puzzle can unlock answers for an entire project. Outside the lab, she talks about creative ways to make complex science understandable and why that matters, especially for children who might not otherwise see science as something for them.

Looking for a place where expertise is shared, collaboration is real, and curiosity can take you in unexpected directions? Explore opportunities at VIB via jobs.vib.be. #researchjobs #structuralbiology #postdocjobs #lifesciences

Let us know your Dare to Ask questions in the comments or via this form.

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Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters.

Behind every discovery lies a story, of curiosity, values, and perseverance. In the second season of Called to Science, we go deeper into the lives of scientists at VIB. From the clinic to the lab bench, from Mexico City to Belgium, from business development to social media, these researchers share how science shapes their lives and how their lives shape science.

Hosted by science journalist Bradley Van Paridon, this season uncovers personal journeys of risk-taking, resilience, and inspiration. Expect stories of moving across continents, redefining what a career in science can look like, learning from failure, and discovering the values that drive research forward.

Do you have a question you always wanted to ask? Submit them here anonymously.

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Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters. 

For Ruben Vazquez-Uribe, science is not about titles or publications, but about meaning. From Mexico City to the Netherlands, Denmark, and now Belgium, Ruben has carried his passion for microbes around the world, looking for ways they can benefit society, from food to sustainability.

As a staff scientist at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Ruben brings not only his research but also his values to the table. He talks about what it means to embed community, culture, and sustainability into science, why positive impact matters more than prestige, and how microbes may hold the key to shaping a better future.

Do you have a question you always wanted to ask? Submit them here anonymously.

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Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters. 

For Bart Lambrecht, the most exciting discoveries happen where science and medicine meet. As director of the VIB Center for Inflammation Research and a leading expert on asthma and allergies, Bart thrives on the constant back-and-forth between patient care and the lab bench.

In this episode, Bart shares what it means to be a physician-scientist, why fly fishing and research require the same patience and precision, and how curiosity in the clinic can spark breakthroughs in the lab, and vice versa. His story highlights the unique perspective that comes from living in both worlds at once.

Do you have a question you always wanted to ask? Submit them here anonymously.

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Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters. 

Not every inspiring career in science requires a PhD. Elina Kuznecova has built a path that challenges expectations, from leaving her home country at a young age to working in high-tech labs at leading institutes across Europe. Now a lab technician at the VIB Spatial Catalyst, Elina reflects on the choices that shaped her career and the lessons she learned along the way.

She also shares how failure can be a powerful teacher, why she chose to make her journey public to more than 90,000 followers on Instagram, and what it means to inspire the next generation of scientists to find their own path.

Do you have a question you always wanted to ask? Submit them here anonymously.

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Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters.