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.________________________________________Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters.
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Ruben Vazquez Uribe - Science with values at its core
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.________________________________________Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters.
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Bart Lambrecht - Casting lines between clinic and lab
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.________________________________________Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters.
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Elina Kuznecova - Redefining what a science career looks like
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.________________________________________Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters.
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Jiska van der Reest - Building bridges from science to society
From the lab bench to the boardroom, Jiska van der Reest has learned to navigate both the scientific and the business side of research. After studies in the Netherlands, Glasgow, and Harvard Medical School, she focused on cancer metabolism before making the leap into business development at VIB.In this episode, Jiska talks about what it means to bridge science and society, why business innovation is crucial for bringing discoveries to patients, and how working with an inspiring team makes translation possible. Her story is one of moving across countries, careers, and mindsets, always with impact at the center.Do you have a question you always wanted to ask? Submit them here anonymously.________________________________________Called to Science is a podcast by VIB. Produced by De Praeters.
What drives a scientist to keep going after research setbacks? What is it like to discover a new antibiotic by accident, or to move from a cattle ranch to a career in science?
Called to Science shares real stories from the world of life sciences research. Hosted by science journalist Brad van Paridon, the podcast goes behind the science to explore the people, passion, and persistence behind breakthroughs in areas like computational biology, neuroscience, microbiology, and cancer research.
Each episode features VIB scientists reflecting on the human side of science careers: how they face failure, fight imposter syndrome, and stay curious in the face of uncertainty. Whether you are a student, researcher, or just science-curious, these scientist stories will show how discovery often begins with the unexpected.
Ready to take your research further? Join VIB – Where top science meets global talent. Check out our open positions at jobs.vib.be.
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A VIB podcast. Produced by De Praeters.
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