In this section we propose a scientist whose work could become important for the economy. Brain researcher Pierre Vanderhaeghen is first and foremost a top scientist, but he also loves to sing. Last year he received a prestigious European grant of 2.5 million euros from the European Research Council.
Why do you need to know this scientist?
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Why do you need to know this scientist? The French-speaking Pierre Vanderhaeghen (55) is one of the top Belgian scientists. He works at the Leuven Gasthuisberg campus, where he heads the Laboratory for Stem Cell and Developmental Neurobiology, part of the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain Research. He also has a small research group at the French-speaking ULB. After his medical studies and his doctorate in Brussels, Vanderhaeghen went to Harvard Medical School in the United States. He first returned to Brussels, but in 2018 he transferred to the Flemish Institute for Biotechnology (VIB). “I can set up more collaborations with other brain researchers there,” he motivates his choice. What is the research about? Vanderhaeghen studies the evolution of the cerebral cortex. For example, he developed a technique to study the development of brain cells in stem cells derived from skin cells. This is done entirely in a petri dish. This turned out to be a good platform for research into neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. He discovered genes specific to the development of the human brain. “We understand the development better now, but developing new diagnostic or therapeutic tools is not our field,” he says. Moreover, Vanderhaeghen discovered that there is an intrinsic program for making our neurons, the intrinsic coroticogenesis. In humans, cognitive development takes eighteen years, while in other mammals it is only weeks or months. The general hypothesis among biologists is that the prolonged exposure to the environment during that cognitive process explains why our brains are such complex computers. Through experiments with mice, Vanderhaeghen showed that this development process is controlled by the genes. So there is an intrinsic clock or hourglass for the development of our brains. How big is the international reputation? In 2008 Vanderhaeghen experienced his eureka moment with intrinsic corticogenesis. “The recognition did not come immediately,” he looks back. “But I’m fine with that: scientists should be skeptical.” Meanwhile, Vanderhaeghen is regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern brain research. Last year he received a prestigious European grant of 2.5 million euros from the European Research Council. Are there economic applications? Vanderhaeghen is very focused on basic research. “My passion is trying to understand things,” he says. “That’s why I didn’t choose a life as a doctor, but for a life as a researcher.” For the time being, there are no spin-offs, but that does not mean that valorisation of the research is impossible. The technology with the petri dishes did lead to industrial contracts for the pharmaceutical industry. The technology is now widely used there. “We had a patent, so we didn’t lose all potential. I didn’t have the time for a spin-off at the time and there weren’t enough incentives in my area to do it.” That would probably be different now, says Vanderhaeghen. Not only he, the VIB also has that ambition. So there will probably be a spin-off around a more recent breakthrough one day. For example, the group that studies the hourglass mechanism in the development of our brains has two patents. “We’ve found a few substances that can affect the speed of the hourglass,” he says. “We don’t yet know whether that mechanism also plays a role in aging processes. If so, you can influence life expectancy.” Where does he get his motivation? Vanderhaeghen finds the counterbalance to his academic thinking in music. “I sing in the cover band Fucking Comeback”, he laughs. “We play rock from the nineties. Music is a passion and an outlet, but also a way to enjoy good moments with friends. Rock ‘n’ roll is intense, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. completely different: there is no room for compromises.”