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title=""></span></span></span></span></a></figure></section></div><div class="CategoriesList_categoriesList__m4UAo"><a class="CategoryLink_link__wYVUn CategoriesList_categoryLink__5TSyJ" href="/category/computational-biology"><span>Computational Biology</span></a><a class="CategoryLink_link__wYVUn CategoriesList_categoryLink__5TSyJ" href="/category/interview"><span>Interview</span></a></div><div class="HeaderRenderer_renderer__dpgga"><section class="prezly-slate-document" data-version="0.50"><h1 class="prezly-slate-heading prezly-slate-heading--heading-1 prezly-slate-heading--align-inherit">Conversations with experts: decoding the future of sequencing</h1></section></div><div class="Story_linksAndDateWrapper__3UhKZ Story_left__kvsEa"><div class="SocialShare_social__6Cpi2"><button data-title="Share on Linkedin" class="SocialShare_socialButton__37dkf SocialShare_customButton__UcS6V"><svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" 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class="ContentRenderer_renderer__tPJbs"><section class="prezly-slate-document" data-version="0.50"><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6">The 6th edition of the <a class="styles_link__gwrpq" href="https://www.vibconferences.be/events/revolutionizing-next-generation-sequencing-6th-edition" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_self"><em>Revolutionizing Next-Generation Sequencing (RNGS)</em> conference</a> brings together experts in genomics and sequencing to explore the latest advances. We talked with two VIB researchers and Organizing Committee members, <strong>Bram Van den Bergh</strong> (postdoc in the Michiels Lab at the Center for Microbiology) and <strong>Wouter De Coster</strong> (postdoc in the Rademakers Lab at the Center for Molecular Neurology), about their work, the fast-moving field of sequencing, and their motivations.</p><figure id="gallery-fd0b26f6-f2b0-42e1-a35c-2da2c1d87c6f" class="prezly-slate-gallery prezly-slate-gallery--contained"><div class="prezly-slate-gallery__images" style="margin:-2px"><div class="prezly-slate-gallery__row"><a class="prezly-slate-image-rollover prezly-slate-gallery-image prezly-slate-gallery-image--with-border-radius" id="gallery-image-aefc4e15-da71-46b2-806b-e8aed1e643c0" href="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/aefc4e15-da71-46b2-806b-e8aed1e643c0/Profielfoto_website.png" style="flex-basis:50%;width:50%;height:75%;margin:2px"><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__content"><img alt="Wouter De Coster" class="prezly-slate-media prezly-slate-gallery-image__media prezly-slate-media--image" src="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/aefc4e15-da71-46b2-806b-e8aed1e643c0/-/preview/1000x1500/-/format/auto/Profielfoto_website.png" srcSet="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/aefc4e15-da71-46b2-806b-e8aed1e643c0/-/preview/1000x1500/-/resize/1200/Profielfoto_website.png 1200w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/aefc4e15-da71-46b2-806b-e8aed1e643c0/-/preview/1000x1500/-/resize/800/Profielfoto_website.png 800w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/aefc4e15-da71-46b2-806b-e8aed1e643c0/-/preview/1000x1500/-/resize/400/Profielfoto_website.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 992px) 800px, (max-width: 576px) 400px, 1200px" title="Wouter De Coster"/><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__dim"></span><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption"><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-icon-container"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 16 16" role="img" class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-icon"><path fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M5.828 10.172a.5.5 0 0 0-.707 0l-4.096 4.096V11.5a.5.5 0 0 0-1 0v3.975a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H4.5a.5.5 0 0 0 0-1H1.732l4.096-4.096a.5.5 0 0 0 0-.707m4.344-4.344a.5.5 0 0 0 .707 0l4.096-4.096V4.5a.5.5 0 1 0 1 0V.525a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H11.5a.5.5 0 0 0 0 1h2.768l-4.096 4.096a.5.5 0 0 0 0 .707"></path></svg></span><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-text"><span class="" title="Wouter De Coster">Wouter De Coster</span></span></span></span></a><a class="prezly-slate-image-rollover prezly-slate-gallery-image prezly-slate-gallery-image--with-border-radius" id="gallery-image-3f810652-c5e1-4ad5-9572-a677bbbf958d" href="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/3f810652-c5e1-4ad5-9572-a677bbbf958d/Bram%20-%20Copy.JPG" style="flex-basis:50%;width:50%;height:75%;margin:2px"><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__content"><img alt="Bram Van den Bergh" class="prezly-slate-media prezly-slate-gallery-image__media prezly-slate-media--image" src="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/3f810652-c5e1-4ad5-9572-a677bbbf958d/-/preview/1000x1500/-/format/auto/Bram%20-%20Copy.JPG" srcSet="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/3f810652-c5e1-4ad5-9572-a677bbbf958d/-/preview/1000x1500/-/resize/1200/Bram%20-%20Copy.JPG 1200w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/3f810652-c5e1-4ad5-9572-a677bbbf958d/-/preview/1000x1500/-/resize/800/Bram%20-%20Copy.JPG 800w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/3f810652-c5e1-4ad5-9572-a677bbbf958d/-/preview/1000x1500/-/resize/400/Bram%20-%20Copy.JPG 400w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/3f810652-c5e1-4ad5-9572-a677bbbf958d/-/preview/1000x1500/-/resize/800/Bram%20-%20Copy.JPG 800w" sizes="(max-width: 992px) 800px, (max-width: 576px) 400px, 1200px" title="Bram Van den Bergh"/><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__dim"></span><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption"><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-icon-container"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 16 16" role="img" class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-icon"><path fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M5.828 10.172a.5.5 0 0 0-.707 0l-4.096 4.096V11.5a.5.5 0 0 0-1 0v3.975a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H4.5a.5.5 0 0 0 0-1H1.732l4.096-4.096a.5.5 0 0 0 0-.707m4.344-4.344a.5.5 0 0 0 .707 0l4.096-4.096V4.5a.5.5 0 1 0 1 0V.525a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H11.5a.5.5 0 0 0 0 1h2.768l-4.096 4.096a.5.5 0 0 0 0 .707"></path></svg></span><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-text"><span class="" title="Bram Van den Bergh">Bram Van den Bergh</span></span></span></span></a></div></div></figure><h3 class="styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u"><strong>Hi both, could you explain the work you do and how sequencing ties into it?</strong></h3><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Bram</strong>: At the <a class="styles_link__gwrpq" href="https://cfm.sites.vib.be/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_self">VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology</a>, I study the evolution of antibiotic tolerance. In contrast to antibiotic resistance, this is how bacteria can survive antibiotics without growing. Our lab was one of the first to study this broader perspective, and that led me to sequencing—we needed it to track DNA sequence changes during evolution. Over time, I’ve shifted more toward the technological side of things, which is why I’m now helping to organize the RNGS conference. In February, I’ll start a new role at <a class="styles_link__gwrpq" href="https://vib.be/en/technologies/technology-portfolio/tech-watch-core" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_self">VIB Tech Watch</a>, where I’ll test and evaluate new technologies.</p><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Wouter</strong>: My focus at the <a class="styles_link__gwrpq" href="https://cmn.sites.vib.be/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_self">VIB-UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology</a> is on long-read sequencing to identify genetic factors in frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Long-read sequencing provides insights, mainly for structural variation and repeat expansions, that are invisible with other technologies. I started with nanopore sequencing during my PhD and it’s grown into a major focus. Sequencing technology is really something I’m thinking about day and night!</p><h3 class="styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u"><strong>What exciting research projects are you currently working on?</strong></h3><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Bram</strong>: In my research, we discovered that antibiotic tolerance evolves so quickly due to single-nucleotide DNA changes that drastically boost survival rates. These changes clustered in certain genes, so we deleted these and ran the experiment again. Subsequently, we saw new targets appear, regulatory mutations increase, and larger DNA duplications. It’s like a real-life "life finds a way" moment. I’m now wrapping up tests to confirm these results in natural strains.</p><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Wouter</strong>: I’m working on characterizing a repeat expansion linked to a type of FTD in a tricky DNA region that only long-read sequencing could analyze. We found the same expansion in 60% of patients with this subtype worldwide. We’re now studying differences in these repeats to see what they mean. Thanks to new tools, we’re seeing things with clarity like never before.</p><h3 class="styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u"><strong>This is the 6th edition of the RNGS conference and the sequencing field has evolved massively since. What new trends or advances do you expect to be highlighted in this edition? </strong></h3><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Wouter</strong>: Protein sequencing is a big topic right now. There’s a lot of potential to directly identify peptides instead of relying on mass spectrometry. There’s a lot of hype, but I haven’t seen companies fully convince me yet. I’m most interested to see technologies presented at the conference that have moved beyond proof-of-concept phase to answer real scientific questions.</p><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Bram</strong>: Indeed, it would be amazing if protein sequencing could reach the level of precision we’ve achieved with DNA sequencing, but it’s a much tougher challenge. I’m particularly excited to see combinations of different single-cell omics techniques, like sequencing the transcriptome and metabolome from a single sample. That’s exciting!</p><figure class="prezly-slate-image prezly-slate-image--contained"><a class="prezly-slate-image-rollover" id="image-bfd29f87-85ce-4114-8df7-b3980495006f" href="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/bfd29f87-85ce-4114-8df7-b3980495006f/RNGS25%20blog%20beeld.png" style="max-width:1200px"><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__content"><img alt="" class="prezly-slate-media prezly-slate-image__media prezly-slate-media--image" src="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/bfd29f87-85ce-4114-8df7-b3980495006f/-/format/auto/RNGS25%20blog%20beeld.png" srcSet="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/bfd29f87-85ce-4114-8df7-b3980495006f/-/resize/1200/RNGS25%20blog%20beeld.png 1200w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/bfd29f87-85ce-4114-8df7-b3980495006f/-/resize/800/RNGS25%20blog%20beeld.png 800w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/bfd29f87-85ce-4114-8df7-b3980495006f/-/resize/400/RNGS25%20blog%20beeld.png 400w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/bfd29f87-85ce-4114-8df7-b3980495006f/-/resize/800/RNGS25%20blog%20beeld.png 800w" sizes="(max-width: 992px) 800px, (max-width: 576px) 400px, 1200px" title=""/><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__dim"></span><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption--empty"><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-icon-container"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 16 16" role="img" class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-icon"><path fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M5.828 10.172a.5.5 0 0 0-.707 0l-4.096 4.096V11.5a.5.5 0 0 0-1 0v3.975a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H4.5a.5.5 0 0 0 0-1H1.732l4.096-4.096a.5.5 0 0 0 0-.707m4.344-4.344a.5.5 0 0 0 .707 0l4.096-4.096V4.5a.5.5 0 1 0 1 0V.525a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H11.5a.5.5 0 0 0 0 1h2.768l-4.096 4.096a.5.5 0 0 0 0 .707"></path></svg></span><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-text"><span class="" title=""></span></span></span></span></a></figure><h3 class="styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u"><strong>Are there specific sessions or talks you’re looking forward to?</strong></h3><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Bram</strong>: I’m especially eager to see Gang Fang’s talk on the bacterial epigenome. His work wasn’t on my radar until I researched speakers for the conference, but it aligns closely with our work. I’m curious to see if there are opportunities for collaboration.</p><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Wouter</strong>: I’m looking forward to Alexander Hoischen’s talk on using long-read sequencing in rare disease research. Some patients face long diagnostic journeys, but now a single long-read sequencing assay can provide answers. That, along with updates on protein sequencing, will be highlights for me.</p><h3 class="styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u"><strong>What societal impact do you expect from sequencing in the next decade?</strong></h3><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Bram</strong>: Faster diagnostics. For example, diagnosing tuberculosis and selecting the right antibiotics currently takes time. A sequencing-based approach could make this faster and more accurate.</p><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Wouter</strong>: Indeed, preventive genome sequencing is the next frontier. By understanding a patient’s genome, we could tailor therapies or lifestyle changes, and as such potentially prevent rather than treat diseases. </p><h3 class="styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u"><strong>I can imagine ethical questions arise with this. Do you ever think about that? </strong></h3><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Wouter</strong>: Ethical questions do come with this. How much should we reveal? For instance, a variant that only slightly increases Alzheimer’s risk might not need to be disclosed. These discussions will involve patients, doctors, and society as a whole.</p><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Bram: </strong>I agree, and there’s another layer to this. What if insurers or governments misuse genomic data? This isn’t a problem for biotech alone but also for IT and data security. These are societal issues that require public debate and solutions. As academics, we can inform the discussion, but the final decisions need to come from society-at-large.</p><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Wouter</strong>: Yes, but I think sequencing should not be all that different from the blood tests we do today. These questions also shouldn’t stand in the way of technological progress. An analogy is the invention of the car—we didn’t stop developing it just because some people might drive drunk. Most technologies are inherently good, and we shouldn’t avoid creating them due to potential risks. It’s about finding the right balance between innovation and responsibility.</p><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Bram</strong>: It’s an important discussion that we even discussed at past conferences. Yves Moreau from KU Leuven gave a fascinating talk about ethical dilemmas, raising some of these very issues.</p><h3 class="styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u"><strong>What actually motivates you to work in this field?</strong></h3><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Bram</strong>: The thrill of a new tool on the bench or hearing a talk and thinking, “I wish I’d thought of that.” It’s very exciting to bring smart, creative people together to make breakthroughs.</p><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Wouter</strong>: My work focuses on a devastating disease and heartbreaking patient stories. Knowing that the methods we’re developing can now achieve in hours what once took decades is very fulfilling. Also, as a software developer, seeing my tools being used worldwide is rewarding, where a few hundred lines of code speeds up the research of many.</p><h3 class="styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u"><strong>To end with, I’d like to shoot some rapid-fire questions at you:</strong></h3><div class="styles_listContainer__FrKUA"><ul class="styles_bulletedList__LFe9q"><li class="styles_listItem__QAj_7"><strong>If you could swap jobs for a week, what would you do?</strong></li></ul></div><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Wouter</strong>: I’d be an alpaca farmer.</p><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Bram</strong>: A deer farmer in New Zealand. Why not?</p><div class="styles_listContainer__FrKUA"><ul class="styles_bulletedList__LFe9q"><li class="styles_listItem__QAj_7"><strong>If you could ask an all-knowing being one question, what would it be?</strong></li></ul></div><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Wouter</strong>: Why do we cut round pizza into triangles and put it in square boxes?</p><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Bram</strong>: How does <em>Game of Thrones</em> really end?</p><div class="styles_listContainer__FrKUA"><ul class="styles_bulletedList__LFe9q"><li class="styles_listItem__QAj_7"><strong>What’s the nerdiest thing on your desk?</strong></li></ul></div><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Wouter</strong>: My desktop background—it’s a group photo of the entire human species when the Cassini space probe looked back at Earth to take a picture.</p><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Bram</strong>: Mine’s a NASA image of a supermassive black hole. Funny that we both picked space-themed things!</p><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6">The background images mentioned (©️NASA):</p><figure id="gallery-3c5a4cc5-e2f4-4663-a996-c85d28991be1" class="prezly-slate-gallery prezly-slate-gallery--contained"><div class="prezly-slate-gallery__images" style="margin:-2px"><div class="prezly-slate-gallery__row"><a class="prezly-slate-image-rollover prezly-slate-gallery-image prezly-slate-gallery-image--with-border-radius" id="gallery-image-d5a74629-b23a-4905-95b6-4e85d247f4b6" href="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/d5a74629-b23a-4905-95b6-4e85d247f4b6/The_Day_The_Earth_Smiled_-_Preview.jpg" style="flex-basis:46.39160185973361%;width:46.39160185973361%;height:53.03479067019666%;margin:2px"><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__content"><img alt="The Day The Earth Smiled" class="prezly-slate-media prezly-slate-gallery-image__media prezly-slate-media--image" src="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/d5a74629-b23a-4905-95b6-4e85d247f4b6/-/preview/1000x1000/-/format/auto/The_Day_The_Earth_Smiled_-_Preview.jpg" srcSet="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/d5a74629-b23a-4905-95b6-4e85d247f4b6/-/preview/1000x1000/-/resize/1200/The_Day_The_Earth_Smiled_-_Preview.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/d5a74629-b23a-4905-95b6-4e85d247f4b6/-/preview/1000x1000/-/resize/800/The_Day_The_Earth_Smiled_-_Preview.jpg 800w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/d5a74629-b23a-4905-95b6-4e85d247f4b6/-/preview/1000x1000/-/resize/400/The_Day_The_Earth_Smiled_-_Preview.jpg 400w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/d5a74629-b23a-4905-95b6-4e85d247f4b6/-/preview/1000x1000/-/resize/800/The_Day_The_Earth_Smiled_-_Preview.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 992px) 800px, (max-width: 576px) 400px, 1200px" title="The Day The Earth Smiled"/><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__dim"></span><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption"><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-icon-container"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 16 16" role="img" class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-icon"><path fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M5.828 10.172a.5.5 0 0 0-.707 0l-4.096 4.096V11.5a.5.5 0 0 0-1 0v3.975a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H4.5a.5.5 0 0 0 0-1H1.732l4.096-4.096a.5.5 0 0 0 0-.707m4.344-4.344a.5.5 0 0 0 .707 0l4.096-4.096V4.5a.5.5 0 1 0 1 0V.525a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H11.5a.5.5 0 0 0 0 1h2.768l-4.096 4.096a.5.5 0 0 0 0 .707"></path></svg></span><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-text"><span class="" title="The Day The Earth Smiled">The Day The Earth Smiled</span></span></span></span></a><a class="prezly-slate-image-rollover prezly-slate-gallery-image prezly-slate-gallery-image--with-border-radius" id="gallery-image-0ed1a10a-9078-4cfb-92b8-4af9f92346a5" href="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/0ed1a10a-9078-4cfb-92b8-4af9f92346a5/behemoth_blackhole-jpg.jpeg" style="flex-basis:53.60839814026639%;width:53.60839814026639%;height:53.03479067019666%;margin:2px"><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__content"><img alt="Computer-Simulated Image of a Supermassive Black Hole" class="prezly-slate-media prezly-slate-gallery-image__media prezly-slate-media--image" src="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/0ed1a10a-9078-4cfb-92b8-4af9f92346a5/-/preview/1000x1000/-/format/auto/behemoth_blackhole-jpg.jpeg" srcSet="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/0ed1a10a-9078-4cfb-92b8-4af9f92346a5/-/preview/1000x1000/-/resize/1200/behemoth_blackhole-jpg.jpeg 1200w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/0ed1a10a-9078-4cfb-92b8-4af9f92346a5/-/preview/1000x1000/-/resize/800/behemoth_blackhole-jpg.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/0ed1a10a-9078-4cfb-92b8-4af9f92346a5/-/preview/1000x1000/-/resize/400/behemoth_blackhole-jpg.jpeg 400w, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/0ed1a10a-9078-4cfb-92b8-4af9f92346a5/-/preview/1000x1000/-/resize/800/behemoth_blackhole-jpg.jpeg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 992px) 800px, (max-width: 576px) 400px, 1200px" title="Computer-Simulated Image of a Supermassive Black Hole"/><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__dim"></span><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption"><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-icon-container"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 16 16" role="img" class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-icon"><path fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M5.828 10.172a.5.5 0 0 0-.707 0l-4.096 4.096V11.5a.5.5 0 0 0-1 0v3.975a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H4.5a.5.5 0 0 0 0-1H1.732l4.096-4.096a.5.5 0 0 0 0-.707m4.344-4.344a.5.5 0 0 0 .707 0l4.096-4.096V4.5a.5.5 0 1 0 1 0V.525a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H11.5a.5.5 0 0 0 0 1h2.768l-4.096 4.096a.5.5 0 0 0 0 .707"></path></svg></span><span class="prezly-slate-image-rollover__caption-text"><span class="" title="Computer-Simulated Image of a Supermassive Black Hole">Computer-Simulated Image of a Supermassive Black Hole</span></span></span></span></a></div></div></figure><p class="styles_paragraph__GiKq6"><strong>Thank you both!</strong></p><hr class="prezly-slate-divider"/><div id="contact-7e8a0268-e006-403e-ade1-0bae2a34d9dc" class="prezly-slate-contact prezly-slate-contact--card"><div class="prezly-slate-contact__wrapper"><div class="prezly-slate-contact__avatar"><img alt="India Jane Wise" src="https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/19f2b3a8-08c8-4df0-aa31-76a5a5753602/-/scale_crop/128x128/center/-/format/auto/" class="prezly-slate-contact__avatar-image" title="India Jane Wise"/></div><div class="prezly-slate-contact__content"><h3 class="prezly-slate-contact__name">India Jane Wise</h3><div class="prezly-slate-contact__job-description">Science Communications Expert, VIB</div><ul class="prezly-slate-social-fields prezly-slate-social-fields--card prezly-slate-contact__social-fields"><li class="prezly-slate-social-field prezly-slate-social-fields__field" title="indiajane.wise@vib.be"><a 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The most recent version of the Privacy Policy can always be found on the Company’s site. \"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Continued use of the site after such changes have been published to the Privacy Policy will constitute acknowledgement that the data subject has read and understood such changes.\"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"2. Roles and responsibilities\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"2.1\\tThe company or organisation that uses the site to make press releases and articles available to the public is the responsible publisher of the site (“Company”). The Company decides on the content that is published on the site and to whom it is distributed. The Company also decides which personal data is linked to the site for these purposes.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Hence, the Company determines why and how the personal data collected from the site visitors or press contacts is processed. This means that the Company is to be considered as the data controller in relation to the processing of such data. \"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Please find the Company details below:\"}]},{\"type\":\"table\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"table-row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Company name:\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"VIB vzw\"}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Registered address:\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Suzanne Tassierstraat 1 Ghent 9052 Belgium\"}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Email:\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"communications@vib.be\"}]}]}]}],\"border\":true},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"2.2\\tThe site is facilitated for the Company by Prezly BV, a company incorporated under Belgian law, having its registered office at Tiensevest 100, bus 1, 3000 Leuven, with company registration number 0829.855.487 (“Prezly”), through a dedicated online application.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Any personal data processing via the site is always done by Prezly on behalf of and on the explicit instruction of the Company. This means that Prezly is to be considered as the data processor in relation to the processing of such data.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"For further information about Prezly’s privacy practices, please visit Prezly’s Trust Center at \"},{\"type\":\"link\",\"href\":\"https://trust.prezly.com/\",\"new_tab\":false,\"children\":[{\"text\":\"https://trust.prezly.com\"}]},{\"text\":\". \"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"2.3\\tFor any question relating to this Privacy Policy you may contact Prezly via email at \"},{\"type\":\"link\",\"href\":\"mailto:privacy@prezly.com\",\"new_tab\":false,\"children\":[{\"text\":\"privacy@prezly.com\",\"underlined\":true}]},{\"text\":\". Prezly will share your question with the Company.\"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"3. Information the Company collects and how the Company uses it\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"3.1\\tThe following personal data may be collected from the Company’s press contacts when they visit the Company’s site, when they opt-in to receive Company emails through the site or when they otherwise interact with the Company or the site in the field of PR:\"}]},{\"type\":\"numbered-list\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Name and surname;\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Function;\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Email address;\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Interests;\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Communication Preferences\"}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"The Company collects these personal data in order to allow it to communicate its press releases and/or press articles to its press contacts.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"By providing the Company with abovementioned personal data, the data subject consents to receiving email messages from the Company in the framework of its PR-activities. In some cases the Company may also collect and process the abovementioned personal data from third parties or public sources on the basis of the legitimate interest it has in distributing its press releases and press articles to the press. \"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Within the framework of the Company’s site, the Company does not use the abovementioned personal data for any other purpose. \"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"The data subject has the right to object to the receipt of email messages from the Company through the site at all times by using the unsubscribe button provided in such email messages or by using our dedicated Privacy Portal.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"3.2\\tThe Company site also may use cookies and social media plugins, primarily to optimise the visitor experience on the site. For specific information about the cookies used on the site, please consult the Cookie Policy. \"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"4. Sharing of personal data\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"The Company will share abovementioned personal data with Prezly in order to allow Prezly to facilitate the site and the distribution of emails through the site. Prezly merely acts as a data processor for the Company. A data processing agreement has been concluded between Prezly and the Company to cover this data processing activity by Prezly.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Aside from this, the Company does not transfer or share personal data with any third party in the framework of the site. \"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"5. International data transfers\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Prezly will try to process personal data as much as possible within the EU. In so far as data transfers outside the EU are necessary, Prezly will only transfer data to third countries that offer an appropriate level of data protection, in accordance with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation. This may include having the data recipient sign a copy of the standard contractual clauses of the European Commission. \"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"6. Retention of personal data\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"The Company does not keep personal data any longer than necessary to achieve the intended purpose for which the personal data are collected. In principle, the personal data will be deleted as soon as the data subject has unsubscribed.\"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"7. Security of personal data \"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Prezly has taken all reasonable and adequate technical and organisational security measures to protect the personal data as best as possible when processed in the framework of the Company’s site. This includes protection against accidental or intentional (and unauthorised) manipulation, modification, publication, loss, abuse, destruction or access by unauthorised persons. Such measures include amongst others a limited access policy and strong password protection, multi-factor authentication.\"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"8. Rights relating to personal data\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"8.1\\tThe data subject has the following rights in relation to his/her personal data:\"}]},{\"type\":\"bulleted-list\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Access to and information about the personal data processed about the data subject; \"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Be forgotten, or ask to delete its personal data;\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Rectification and completion;\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Transferability of personal data;\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Restriction of processing;\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Object to the processing.\"}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"To exercise these rights, please contact Prezly via email at \"},{\"type\":\"link\",\"href\":\"mailto:privacy@prezly.com\",\"new_tab\":false,\"children\":[{\"text\":\"privacy@prezly.com\",\"underlined\":true}]},{\"text\":\". Prezly will share your request with the Company for further processing. \"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"8.2\\tIn case of questions or complaints about the processing of personal data, the data subject can always inform Prezly via email at \"},{\"type\":\"link\",\"href\":\"mailto:privacy@prezly.com\",\"new_tab\":false,\"children\":[{\"text\":\"privacy@prezly.com\"}]},{\"text\":\". Prezly will share the question or complaint with the Company for further processing. \"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"The data subject may also file a complaint with the Belgian Data Protection Authority at any time:\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Website:\",\"bold\":true}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"link\",\"href\":\"https://www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be/citoyen/agir/introduire-une-plainte\",\"new_tab\":true,\"children\":[{\"text\":\"https://www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be/citoyen/agir/introduire-une-plainte\"}]},{\"text\":\"\\n\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Contact details:\",\"bold\":true}]},{\"type\":\"contact\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"\"}],\"uuid\":\"a7a66663-cacd-4953-904c-7f694a4ef44f\",\"reference\":\"b67d2088-0dd4-4fbe-9a50-bd35c98586b8\",\"contact\":{\"avatar_url\":null,\"company\":\"Rue de la Presse 35, 1000 Brussels, Belgium\",\"description\":\"\",\"email\":\"contact@apd-gba.be\",\"facebook\":\"\",\"mobile\":\"+32 (0)2 274 48 35\",\"name\":\"Data Protection Authority\",\"phone\":\"+32 (0)2 274 48 00\",\"twitter\":\"\",\"website\":\"https://www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be/citoyen/agir/introduire-une-plainte\",\"address\":\"\"},\"show_avatar\":true,\"layout\":\"card\"},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"9. Applicable law\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Any dispute in relation to this Privacy Policy must be interpreted in accordance with Belgian law. \"}]}],\"version\":\"2.6\"}"])</script><script>self.__next_f.push([1,"3d:T335e,"])</script><script>self.__next_f.push([1,"{\"type\":\"document\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"placeholder:media\",\"uuid\":\"897100cb-1af7-51f5-9609-1ae0e49a6b1d\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"\"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-one\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Cookie Policy\",\"bold\":true}],\"role\":\"title\"},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Version 1.0\"}],\"role\":\"subtitle\"},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Published: 2025-02-06\",\"italic\":true}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"This Cookie Policy describes how cookies and similar technologies are used on the Company site to collect information from site visitors and/or contacts who receive emails through the site.\",\"italic\":true}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"1. General\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"1.1\\tThis Cookie Policy explains how cookies and similar technologies (e.g. web beacons) are used on the site to collect information from site visitors and/or contacts who receive emails through the site. By using the site or opting in to receive emails through the site, the data subject acknowledges to have read and understood this Cookie Policy.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"1.2\\tThis Cookie Policy may be updated from time to time. When this happens, the “published” date given above will be changed. The most recent version of this Cookie Policy will become applicable, supersede an replace all earlier versions with immediate effect. The most recent version of the Cookie Policy can always be found on the site. \"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Continued use of the site after such changes have been published to the Cookie Policy will constitute acknowledgement that the data subject has read and understood such changes.\"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"2. Roles and responsibilities\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"2.1\\tThe company or organisation that uses the site to make press articles available to the public is the responsible publisher of the site (“Company”). The Company decides on the content that is published on the site, to whom it is distributed and whether and how cookies may be used to check the success of such distribution (i.e. user and usage analytics). \"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"The site is facilitated for the Company by Prezly BV, a company incorporated under Belgian law, having its registered office at Tiensevest 100, bus 1, 3000 Leuven, with company registration number 0829.855.487 (“Prezly”). Prezly processes information captured via cookies or similar technologies on behalf and on instruction of the Company.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"2.2\\tFor any question relating to cookies you may contact Prezly via email at \"},{\"type\":\"link\",\"href\":\"mailto:privacy@prezly.com\",\"new_tab\":false,\"children\":[{\"text\":\"privacy@prezly.com\",\"underlined\":true}]},{\"text\":\". \"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"3. What is a cookie?\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"In general, a cookie is a small text and number file that the site can send and store in the web browser, on a mobile device and/or on the hard drive of a computer during a visit to the site. Cookies help, for example, to remember visitor preferences when using the site so that Prezly can immediately set these preferences as default when the visitor revisits the site.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"There are different types of cookies:\"}]},{\"type\":\"bulleted-list\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Essential or strictly necessary cookies \",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\"are (as their name indicates) necessary to be able to use a website. They ensure, for example, that a certain connection can be established. These cookies can be used without prior consent.\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Functional cookies \",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\"are cookies that enable a website to offer certain functions that the website visitor has requested. They contain information about choices and preferences on the website (e.g. cookies for remembering log-in or registration details, language preference, products in shopping cart). These cookies can be used without prior consent.\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Non-functional cookies\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\" are cookies that can be placed for statistical, social, targeting and commercial purposes. They have nothing to do with the purely technical support of the website. These cookies can only be used with prior consent.\"}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"In some cases, but certainly not always, cookies also collect certain personal data, such as the identification number of a computer. \"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"4. Information about the cookies used\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"4.1\\tThe site uses essential and functional cookies to ensure the site’s functioning. When someone visits the site, the following \"},{\"text\":\"essential and functional cookies\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\" are used:\"}]},{\"type\":\"table\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"table-row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Name\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Function\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Validity\"}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"XSRF-TOKEN\",\"italic\":true}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Essential cookie that ensures visitor browsing-security and website security by preventing cross-site request forgery\",\"italic\":true}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Session\",\"italic\":true}]}]}]}],\"border\":true,\"header\":[\"first_row\"]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"The cookies used do not allow the systematic gathering of data that could allow the identification of the users of the site. They only help to ensure and improve the functioning of the site. \"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"4.2\\tIn addition, the site or email campaigns generated through the site also use certain non-functional cookies upon prior consent via the cookie banner. This consent can be withdrawn at any time by deleting the cookies stored in the browser (\"},{\"text\":\"see below\",\"italic\":true},{\"text\":\"). When a visitor uses the website and has given prior consent, the following \"},{\"text\":\"non-functional cookies\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\" are used: \"}]},{\"type\":\"table\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"table-row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Name\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Function\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Validity\"}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"_ga\",\"italic\":true}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Statistical cookie used by Google Analytics to identify unique users in order to allow it to store and count page views\",\"italic\":true}]}]},{\"type\":\"table-cell\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"2 years\",\"italic\":true}]}]}]}],\"border\":true,\"header\":[\"first_row\"]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Through these non-functional cookies Prezly may collect (on behalf of the Company) non-personal data about site visitors or Company contacts, including the following types of data: common information found in every communication sent over the internet, being information such as browser type (e.g.Chrome or Internet Explorer), operating system (e.g. Macintosh or Windows), browser language (e.g. Java or Unix), internet service provider (e.g. Verizon Fios or AOL) and information about the usage of the sites/sites and various pages on the internet.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Prezly (on behalf of the Company) also uses web beacons to track behavior relating to email campaigns. When the Company sends an email to its contacts, Prezly may track behavior such as who opened the emails and who clicked the links. This type of data enables Prezly to figure out how often visitors use different parts of individual sites. In addition, Prezly may provide aggregate statistical visitor information to the Company so that the Company understands how often people use specific components of their site.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"As these non-functional cookies and similar technologies will only be used by Prezly when instructed or requested to do so by the Company, the Company is to be regarded as data controller in relation to the personal data collected on its contacts (if any). The responsibility for the use of these cookies and similar technologies therefore lies with the Company.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"4.3\\tThe site may also contain certain social media buttons or embeds (like videos, social posts, images, …) that allow visitors to directly see, interact and navigate to those platforms ( for example Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube). If the site visitor clicks on these social media buttons or embedded videos, posts or images, it is possible that the social network in question places a cookie in order to retrieve the site visitor’s identity on the respective social network or to determine the site visitor’s preferences. More information about which cookies are used by these social networks can be found in the privacy and cookie statements of these social networks. Therefore, please always read the privacy and cookie statements of the respective social networks carefully. The Company or Prezly cannot influence the content of these cookie statements or the content of the cookies of these third parties.\"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"5. Accepting cookies\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"A cookie banner will appear when visiting the site for the first time. This cookie banner informs about the cookies used on the site, and also asks for prior consent to use non-functional cookies (where applicable).\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Site visitors are free to agree to this or not. A visitor will not be denied access to the site if he/she does not agree to the use of non-functional cookies, but there is a possibility that the site may in such case not work like it was intended to. \"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"6. Managing cookies (deleting or disabling)\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Most browsers allow to prevent the browser from accepting new cookies, to be notified when a new cookie is used or to disable cookies. The site visitor or Company contact can therefore control the use of cookies at individual browser level.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"If the site visitor does not want the site to place cookies or wants to delete the cookies used, it can change the cookie settings in the web browser. These settings can usually be found in the ‘Options’ or ‘Preferences’ menu of the web browser. They can also adjust the settings so that the browser refuses all cookies or only cookies from third parties. \"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"To better understand these settings, the following links may be helpful. If not, please consult the ‘Help’ function in the web browser for more details:\"}]},{\"type\":\"bulleted-list\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"link\",\"href\":\"https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=nl\",\"new_tab\":true,\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Chrome\",\"underlined\":true}]},{\"text\":\"\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"link\",\"href\":\"https://support.mozilla.org/nl/kb/cookies-verwijderen-gegevens-wissen-websites-opgeslagen\",\"new_tab\":true,\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Firefox\",\"underlined\":true}]},{\"text\":\"\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"link\",\"href\":\"http://windows.microsoft.com/nl-NL/windows7/How-to-manage-cookies-in-Internet-Explorer-9\",\"new_tab\":true,\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Internet Explorer\",\"underlined\":true}]},{\"text\":\"\"}]}]},{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"link\",\"href\":\"http://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/nl/cookies/\",\"new_tab\":true,\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Safari\",\"underlined\":true}]},{\"text\":\"\"}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"7. 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In contrast to antibiotic resistance, this is how bacteria can survive antibiotics without growing. Our lab was one of the first to study this broader perspective, and that led me to sequencing—we needed it to track DNA sequence changes during evolution. Over time, I’ve shifted more toward the technological side of things, which is why I’m now helping to organize the RNGS conference. In February, I’ll start a new role at \"},{\"type\":\"link\",\"href\":\"https://vib.be/en/technologies/technology-portfolio/tech-watch-core\",\"new_tab\":false,\"children\":[{\"text\":\"VIB Tech Watch\"}]},{\"text\":\", where I’ll test and evaluate new technologies.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Wouter\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": My focus at the \"},{\"type\":\"link\",\"href\":\"https://cmn.sites.vib.be/en\",\"new_tab\":false,\"children\":[{\"text\":\"VIB-UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology\"}]},{\"text\":\" is on long-read sequencing to identify genetic factors in frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Long-read sequencing provides insights, mainly for structural variation and repeat expansions, that are invisible with other technologies. I started with nanopore sequencing during my PhD and it’s grown into a major focus. Sequencing technology is really something I’m thinking about day and night!\"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"What exciting research projects are you currently working on?\",\"bold\":true}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Bram\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": In my research, we discovered that antibiotic tolerance evolves so quickly due to single-nucleotide DNA changes that drastically boost survival rates. These changes clustered in certain genes, so we deleted these and ran the experiment again. Subsequently, we saw new targets appear, regulatory mutations increase, and larger DNA duplications. It’s like a real-life \\\"life finds a way\\\" moment. I’m now wrapping up tests to confirm these results in natural strains.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Wouter\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": I’m working on characterizing a repeat expansion linked to a type of FTD in a tricky DNA region that only long-read sequencing could analyze. We found the same expansion in 60% of patients with this subtype worldwide. We’re now studying differences in these repeats to see what they mean. Thanks to new tools, we’re seeing things with clarity like never before.\"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"This is the 6th edition of the RNGS conference and the sequencing field has evolved massively since. What new trends or advances do you expect to be highlighted in this edition? \",\"bold\":true}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Wouter\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": Protein sequencing is a big topic right now. There’s a lot of potential to directly identify peptides instead of relying on mass spectrometry. There’s a lot of hype, but I haven’t seen companies fully convince me yet. I’m most interested to see technologies presented at the conference that have moved beyond proof-of-concept phase to answer real scientific questions.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Bram\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": Indeed, it would be amazing if protein sequencing could reach the level of precision we’ve achieved with DNA sequencing, but it’s a much tougher challenge. I’m particularly excited to see combinations of different single-cell omics techniques, like sequencing the transcriptome and metabolome from a single sample. That’s exciting!\"}]},{\"type\":\"image-block\",\"href\":\"\",\"file\":{\"version\":2,\"uuid\":\"bfd29f87-85ce-4114-8df7-b3980495006f\",\"filename\":\"RNGS25 blog beeld.png\",\"mime_type\":\"image/png\",\"size\":1222655,\"original_width\":1200,\"original_height\":600,\"effects\":[]},\"layout\":\"contained\",\"align\":\"center\",\"new_tab\":true,\"width\":\"100%\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"\"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Are there specific sessions or talks you’re looking forward to?\",\"bold\":true}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Bram\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": I’m especially eager to see Gang Fang’s talk on the bacterial epigenome. His work wasn’t on my radar until I researched speakers for the conference, but it aligns closely with our work. I’m curious to see if there are opportunities for collaboration.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Wouter\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": I’m looking forward to Alexander Hoischen’s talk on using long-read sequencing in rare disease research. Some patients face long diagnostic journeys, but now a single long-read sequencing assay can provide answers. That, along with updates on protein sequencing, will be highlights for me.\"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"What societal impact do you expect from sequencing in the next decade?\",\"bold\":true}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Bram\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": Faster diagnostics. For example, diagnosing tuberculosis and selecting the right antibiotics currently takes time. A sequencing-based approach could make this faster and more accurate.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Wouter\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": Indeed, preventive genome sequencing is the next frontier. By understanding a patient’s genome, we could tailor therapies or lifestyle changes, and as such potentially prevent rather than treat diseases. \"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"I can imagine ethical questions arise with this. Do you ever think about that? \",\"bold\":true}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Wouter\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": Ethical questions do come with this. How much should we reveal? For instance, a variant that only slightly increases Alzheimer’s risk might not need to be disclosed. These discussions will involve patients, doctors, and society as a whole.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Bram: \",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\"I agree, and there’s another layer to this. What if insurers or governments misuse genomic data? This isn’t a problem for biotech alone but also for IT and data security. These are societal issues that require public debate and solutions. As academics, we can inform the discussion, but the final decisions need to come from society-at-large.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Wouter\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": Yes, but I think sequencing should not be all that different from the blood tests we do today. These questions also shouldn’t stand in the way of technological progress. An analogy is the invention of the car—we didn’t stop developing it just because some people might drive drunk. Most technologies are inherently good, and we shouldn’t avoid creating them due to potential risks. It’s about finding the right balance between innovation and responsibility.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Bram\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": It’s an important discussion that we even discussed at past conferences. Yves Moreau from KU Leuven gave a fascinating talk about ethical dilemmas, raising some of these very issues.\"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"What actually motivates you to work in this field?\",\"bold\":true}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Bram\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": The thrill of a new tool on the bench or hearing a talk and thinking, “I wish I’d thought of that.” It’s very exciting to bring smart, creative people together to make breakthroughs.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Wouter\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": My work focuses on a devastating disease and heartbreaking patient stories. Knowing that the methods we’re developing can now achieve in hours what once took decades is very fulfilling. Also, as a software developer, seeing my tools being used worldwide is rewarding, where a few hundred lines of code speeds up the research of many.\"}]},{\"type\":\"heading-two\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"To end with, I’d like to shoot some rapid-fire questions at you:\",\"bold\":true}]},{\"type\":\"bulleted-list\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"If you could swap jobs for a week, what would you do?\",\"bold\":true}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Wouter\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": I’d be an alpaca farmer.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Bram\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": A deer farmer in New Zealand. Why not?\"}]},{\"type\":\"bulleted-list\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"If you could ask an all-knowing being one question, what would it be?\",\"bold\":true}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Wouter\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": Why do we cut round pizza into triangles and put it in square boxes?\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Bram\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": How does \"},{\"text\":\"Game of Thrones\",\"italic\":true},{\"text\":\" really end?\"}]},{\"type\":\"bulleted-list\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"list-item-text\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"What’s the nerdiest thing on your desk?\",\"bold\":true}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Wouter\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": My desktop background—it’s a group photo of the entire human species when the Cassini space probe looked back at Earth to take a picture.\"}]},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"Bram\",\"bold\":true},{\"text\":\": Mine’s a NASA image of a supermassive black hole. 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We talked with two VIB researchers and Organizing Committee members, \"]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"3\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Bram Van den Bergh\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"4\",{\"children\":[\" (postdoc in the Michiels Lab at the Center for Microbiology) and \"]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"5\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Wouter De Coster\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"6\",{\"children\":[\" (postdoc in the Rademakers Lab at the Center for Molecular Neurology), about their work, the fast-moving field of sequencing, and their motivations.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"3\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"$L50\",null,{\"node\":{\"type\":\"gallery\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"\"}],\"images\":[{\"caption\":\"Wouter De Coster\",\"file\":{\"version\":2,\"uuid\":\"aefc4e15-da71-46b2-806b-e8aed1e643c0\",\"filename\":\"Profielfoto_website.png\",\"mime_type\":\"image/png\",\"size\":43412,\"original_width\":150,\"original_height\":225,\"effects\":[]}},{\"caption\":\"Bram Van den Bergh\",\"file\":{\"version\":2,\"uuid\":\"3f810652-c5e1-4ad5-9572-a677bbbf958d\",\"filename\":\"Bram - Copy.JPG\",\"mime_type\":\"image/jpeg\",\"size\":5107710,\"original_width\":3456,\"original_height\":5184,\"effects\":[]}}],\"uuid\":\"fd0b26f6-f2b0-42e1-a35c-2da2c1d87c6f\",\"layout\":\"contained\",\"padding\":\"M\",\"thumbnail_size\":\"M\"},\"children\":\"$undefined\"}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"4\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"h3\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Hi both, could you explain the work you do and how sequencing ties into it?\"]}]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"5\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Bram\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": At the \"]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"2\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"a\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_link__gwrpq\",\"href\":\"https://cfm.sites.vib.be/en\",\"rel\":\"noopener noreferrer\",\"target\":\"_self\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"3\",{\"children\":[\", I study the evolution of antibiotic tolerance. In contrast to antibiotic resistance, this is how bacteria can survive antibiotics without growing. Our lab was one of the first to study this broader perspective, and that led me to sequencing—we needed it to track DNA sequence changes during evolution. Over time, I’ve shifted more toward the technological side of things, which is why I’m now helping to organize the RNGS conference. In February, I’ll start a new role at \"]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"4\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"a\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_link__gwrpq\",\"href\":\"https://vib.be/en/technologies/technology-portfolio/tech-watch-core\",\"rel\":\"noopener noreferrer\",\"target\":\"_self\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"VIB Tech Watch\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"5\",{\"children\":[\", where I’ll test and evaluate new technologies.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"6\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Wouter\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": My focus at the \"]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"2\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"a\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_link__gwrpq\",\"href\":\"https://cmn.sites.vib.be/en\",\"rel\":\"noopener noreferrer\",\"target\":\"_self\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"VIB-UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"3\",{\"children\":[\" is on long-read sequencing to identify genetic factors in frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Long-read sequencing provides insights, mainly for structural variation and repeat expansions, that are invisible with other technologies. I started with nanopore sequencing during my PhD and it’s grown into a major focus. Sequencing technology is really something I’m thinking about day and night!\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"7\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"h3\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"What exciting research projects are you currently working on?\"]}]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"8\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Bram\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": In my research, we discovered that antibiotic tolerance evolves so quickly due to single-nucleotide DNA changes that drastically boost survival rates. These changes clustered in certain genes, so we deleted these and ran the experiment again. Subsequently, we saw new targets appear, regulatory mutations increase, and larger DNA duplications. It’s like a real-life \\\"life finds a way\\\" moment. I’m now wrapping up tests to confirm these results in natural strains.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"9\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Wouter\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": I’m working on characterizing a repeat expansion linked to a type of FTD in a tricky DNA region that only long-read sequencing could analyze. We found the same expansion in 60% of patients with this subtype worldwide. We’re now studying differences in these repeats to see what they mean. Thanks to new tools, we’re seeing things with clarity like never before.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"10\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"h3\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"This is the 6th edition of the RNGS conference and the sequencing field has evolved massively since. What new trends or advances do you expect to be highlighted in this edition? \"]}]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"11\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Wouter\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": Protein sequencing is a big topic right now. There’s a lot of potential to directly identify peptides instead of relying on mass spectrometry. There’s a lot of hype, but I haven’t seen companies fully convince me yet. I’m most interested to see technologies presented at the conference that have moved beyond proof-of-concept phase to answer real scientific questions.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"12\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Bram\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": Indeed, it would be amazing if protein sequencing could reach the level of precision we’ve achieved with DNA sequencing, but it’s a much tougher challenge. I’m particularly excited to see combinations of different single-cell omics techniques, like sequencing the transcriptome and metabolome from a single sample. That’s exciting!\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"13\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"$L51\",null,{\"node\":{\"type\":\"image-block\",\"href\":\"\",\"file\":{\"version\":2,\"uuid\":\"bfd29f87-85ce-4114-8df7-b3980495006f\",\"filename\":\"RNGS25 blog beeld.png\",\"mime_type\":\"image/png\",\"size\":1222655,\"original_width\":1200,\"original_height\":600,\"effects\":[]},\"layout\":\"contained\",\"align\":\"center\",\"new_tab\":true,\"width\":\"100%\",\"children\":[{\"text\":\"\"},{\"text\":\" \"}]},\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"\"]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\" \"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"14\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"h3\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Are there specific sessions or talks you’re looking forward to?\"]}]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"15\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Bram\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": I’m especially eager to see Gang Fang’s talk on the bacterial epigenome. His work wasn’t on my radar until I researched speakers for the conference, but it aligns closely with our work. I’m curious to see if there are opportunities for collaboration.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"16\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Wouter\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": I’m looking forward to Alexander Hoischen’s talk on using long-read sequencing in rare disease research. Some patients face long diagnostic journeys, but now a single long-read sequencing assay can provide answers. That, along with updates on protein sequencing, will be highlights for me.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"17\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"h3\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"What societal impact do you expect from sequencing in the next decade?\"]}]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"18\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Bram\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": Faster diagnostics. For example, diagnosing tuberculosis and selecting the right antibiotics currently takes time. A sequencing-based approach could make this faster and more accurate.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"19\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Wouter\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": Indeed, preventive genome sequencing is the next frontier. By understanding a patient’s genome, we could tailor therapies or lifestyle changes, and as such potentially prevent rather than treat diseases. \"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"20\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"h3\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"I can imagine ethical questions arise with this. Do you ever think about that? \"]}]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"21\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Wouter\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": Ethical questions do come with this. How much should we reveal? For instance, a variant that only slightly increases Alzheimer’s risk might not need to be disclosed. These discussions will involve patients, doctors, and society as a whole.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"22\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Bram: \"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\"I agree, and there’s another layer to this. What if insurers or governments misuse genomic data? This isn’t a problem for biotech alone but also for IT and data security. These are societal issues that require public debate and solutions. As academics, we can inform the discussion, but the final decisions need to come from society-at-large.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"23\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Wouter\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": Yes, but I think sequencing should not be all that different from the blood tests we do today. These questions also shouldn’t stand in the way of technological progress. An analogy is the invention of the car—we didn’t stop developing it just because some people might drive drunk. Most technologies are inherently good, and we shouldn’t avoid creating them due to potential risks. It’s about finding the right balance between innovation and responsibility.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"24\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Bram\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": It’s an important discussion that we even discussed at past conferences. Yves Moreau from KU Leuven gave a fascinating talk about ethical dilemmas, raising some of these very issues.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"25\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"h3\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"What actually motivates you to work in this field?\"]}]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"26\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Bram\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": The thrill of a new tool on the bench or hearing a talk and thinking, “I wish I’d thought of that.” It’s very exciting to bring smart, creative people together to make breakthroughs.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"27\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Wouter\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": My work focuses on a devastating disease and heartbreaking patient stories. Knowing that the methods we’re developing can now achieve in hours what once took decades is very fulfilling. Also, as a software developer, seeing my tools being used worldwide is rewarding, where a few hundred lines of code speeds up the research of many.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"28\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"h3\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_headingTwo__ZQS6u\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"To end with, I’d like to shoot some rapid-fire questions at you:\"]}]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"29\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"div\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_listContainer__FrKUA\",\"children\":[\"$\",\"ul\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_bulletedList__LFe9q\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"li\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_listItem__QAj_7\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"If you could swap jobs for a week, what would you do?\"]}]}]]}]]}]}]]}]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"30\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Wouter\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": I’d be an alpaca farmer.\"]}]]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"31\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"p\",null,{\"className\":\"styles_paragraph__GiKq6\",\"children\":[[\"$\",\"$48\",\"0\",{\"children\":[\"$\",\"strong\",null,{\"children\":[\"Bram\"]}]}],[\"$\",\"$48\",\"1\",{\"children\":[\": A deer farmer in New Zealand. 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