VIB’s podcast Called to Science is back for a second season! In this series, we sit down with researchers to go beyond the research to explore the passion, setbacks, and big questions that drive them forward. ​

In one episode of season two, science journalist Brad Van Paridon speaks with Ruben Vazquez-Uribe, Scientific Project Manager at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology. They talked about the importance of using science for good, bringing values to research, and research to the kitchen. Here are some highlights from the discussion.

Coming from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Polina Novikova joins the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology (PSB) as Principal Investigator and UGent as Associate Professor. At PSB, Polina heads the Ecological Genomics lab, which looks at the roots of polyploidy, organisms with a doubled (or higher) amount of genome compared to a ‘normal’ organism.

Simon Tack, PhD student at PSB, asked her some questions.

Last year, scientists across the globe were able to link eight new genes to peripheral neuropathy—three of them by researchers at the Jordanova lab (VIB-UAntwerp). Postdoc Ayşe Candayan explains that more than any single technology, it was close collaboration and creative problem-solving that made these discoveries possible.

9-10 March 2026, Ghent, Belgium

25–26 March 2026, Leuven, BE

15-18 June 2026, Ghent, Belgium